The 31-year-old is yet to start a game this season, but has already scored twice off the bench, and is an important part of Eddie Howe’s squad.
Whilst he has previously indicated that he would like to extend his deal at Newcastle, there is yet to be any revealed progress on a new contract, and the longer the wait goes on, the more of a problem it could be for the club.
Despite his age, and the fact that he is a second-choice option behind Alexander Isak, Wilson should still be offered a new contract. There are not many teams with a backup striker as good as the England international, who scored 18 Premier League goals last season.
Howe has previously described him as a “big personality,” and losing him either in January or for free at the end of the season could be a disaster
With the European Championships coming up at the end of the season, Wilson faces a lot of competition to reach the England squad. Whilst he has made it in for now, by next summer this could be a different story if he is not playing regularly.
If he continues to be benched, he may be tempted by a January move to gain game time ahead of the tournament, or may even decide his long-term future is not at the club, and he will be able to negotiate with foreign clubs in January
Newcastle should aim to rotate him in as the fixture list starts to pile up, and if they can give him both a new deal and more game time, he may be happy to stay as a leader within the squad.
Replacing a player of his quality will be difficult enough, but if he leaves for free or pushes for a move in January with little time left on his deal, then Newcastle will find themselves in a tough position, and the quicker they resolve this issue, the better it will be.
