Eddie Howe is looking for Callum Wilson to deliver 20 goals next season - after Newcastle missed out on top summer strike target Hugo Ekitike.
The United boss is ready to run the risk of Wilson being his main striker despite a fragile injury record. Howe wants his No.9 to have a trouble free season, as the transfer window causes frustration and throws up fantasy prices for strikers.
The Geordies are after reinforcements up front and Leeds’ winger Jack Harrison remains a target, but there’s no chance of landing Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen who is too expensive at £60m or Aleksander Isak from Real Sociedad. Newcastle are wary of financial fair play regulations having already spent £55m.
The goal burden is falling to Wilson and Howe said: “Can he be the 15-20 goal striker if he stays fit? We are looking for those goal returns from our No.9, for sure - whether that’s Callum on his own, or with Chris Wood. We need those goals from our front players.
"We believe they are capable of delivering those numbers. A lot also depends on the creativity of the team, which we probably had a lack of at times last season. We need more possession and more ball around the opponent’s box, things we are looking to improve.”
WIilson, who suffered a bad calf tear in December but recovered to score at the end of last season, missed the first drill of United’s training on Sunday.
Howe explained: “There’s a risk with every player. There is no guarantee that all of my players will stay fit all season. No one has ever doubted Callum’s ability. He is an outstanding striker, and he showed that coming back from a long injury and performing well at the end of the season. I would love him to have an injury free campaign.
"Chris Wood did very well for the team last year and he is still with us and has trained very well. We have others who can fill that role so we are not one dimensional. Saint-Maximin has played there, Joelinton too. And also we have the transfer market still an active thing for us.
"We plan training for the individual as well as the team. We look at individual needs. We took Callum out and gave him some different work from the group. That was quite a high intensity drill early in the session and we didn't want to expose him to that so early in the session."
Newcastle courted Reims teenage star Ekitike for a year, but he signed for PSG on Sunday. Howe admitted: “We really like Hugo as a player, there is no denying that. I won’t hide that fact. We tried to sign him in January and again this summer, but it wasn’t to be.
"He has decided to go to PSG, and there are no hard feelings towards the lad. We wish him well.
"We thought he was a real talent and he could have done a really good job for us. But that’s football, that’s the transfer window. They are the teams we are competing against. There is no guarantee you will get your top targets, because if you believe they’re that good then so do other clubs."
