Sheffield United’s Will Osula has put pen to paper with Premier League club Newcastle United as The Magpies have seen fit to spend £10 million plus a further £5 million in add-ons to bring Osula to Tyneside. Eddie Howe is clearly looking to the future with this deal and has seen some potential in Ousla that he believes he can develop as Newcastle look to futureproof their squad.
Ousla began his youth career at his hometown club Copenhagen before joining the Sheffield United Academy in 2018. He broke through the ranks back in 2022, making his professional debut in a 0–0 draw against Blackpool. The Danish youth international spent a season on loan at Derby County in League One to gain some experience before making 21 appearances for the Blades in the Premier League.
For Osula, this means returning to the top flight after suffering relegation with the Blades last season, in a campaign everyone would rather forget. Financially this represents an excellent deal for Chris Wilder’s side who will be looking to reinvest any transfer fee as they aim to rebuild the squad ahead of the new season.
It’s fair to say the young forward has struggled to find the net during his time at Bramall Lane, having never scored in a league game for the Blades, with all three of his goals coming in the FA Cup. Nevertheless, the Magpies see plenty of potential in him.
This scout report will take a closer look at Osula’s style of play and highlight what Eddie Howe and Newcastle have seen in the young player and why they have touted him as one for the future. Of course, we will look at key areas of his game in addition to highlighting areas for improvement to get a balanced view of the 21-year-old’s abilities.
Player Profile:
Position: Centre Forward
Secondary Position: Left Wing / Right Wing
Nationality: Danish
Date of Birth: 04/08/2003 (21 Years Old)
Preferred Foot: Right
Height: 186 cm
Physical Profile
Osula is physically very impressive. He possesses a very athletic frame with some good physicality which he does struggle to use to his advantage it has to be said. Osula can often be outmuscled by opponents in shoulder-to-shoulder battles, winning less than 30% of his duels last season.
However, he does show some excellent understanding of how to position himself to shield the ball once he has it under control. This allows Osula to prevent his opponent from recovering possession and can lead to the Dane winning a foul in the attacking third.
He has a wonderful burst of acceleration, generated by a significant amount of power through his legs. Additionally, Osula can sustain his acceleration over longer distances, coupled with his agility, which means he can progress the team up the pitch quickly during transitions.
I think Osula has yet to fully understand how to use his physical profile to his advantage during games. We have seen glimpses of it during his time at Sheffield United but this is something that he can further develop with the right coaching and first-team experience.
Attacking Phase
During his time at Sheffield United, Osula has played as a central striker and both a right and left winger. Before this transfer took shape, he had featured prominently in the preseason, lining up as a left winger in a 4–3–3 system.
Osula’s speed and athleticism mean he can work the channels well, which he looked to do regularly for Chris Wilder’s side.
Here, we can see Osula make a darting run out to the left wing, inviting the long pass into his path. The Danish forward then isolates his opponent, as we can see here. The Villa defender is standing off Osula due to his burst of acceleration and ability to change direction rapidly.
We can also see that the Sheffield United forward displays excellent body orientation here as he has the opportunity to travel in either direction, making it very difficult for the opponent to anticipate his movement.
Osula drops his shoulder and then uses his acceleration to carry the ball into the open space. The former Copenhagen man is a confident ball carrier who is a real attacking threat when he sees open space to run into.
His agility makes him unpredictable and difficult to mark, enabling him to navigate through compact defences and therefore allowing him to create goal-scoring opportunities. His ability to make quick, sharp movements also helps in maintaining balance and control while dribbling at high speeds, making it harder for defenders to dispossess him.
The 21-year-old averaged 1.1 progressive runs per 90 and 2.89 dribbles per 90 last season. These numbers are actually quite promising when you consider that most of his appearances were from the bench and he was playing in a Sheffield United side which averaged 36.07% possession per 90.
Here, we can see Osula use his quick feet and close control to move the ball beyond the Newcastle defender. He then utilises his speed to progress the play forward, carrying the ball into the penalty area.
Shooting is certainly an area where the 21-year-old could do with improvement. He has the capability to create plenty of space for himself however the end product is often lacking. On this occasion, shooting with his weaker foot, he struggles to generate the power required which results in a rather tame effort being collected by the goalkeeper.
Furthermore, Osula has an excellent first touch and can receive the ball under pressure as we can see here. Whilst he sometimes struggles to hold off his opponent, he understands how to utilise his first touch to move the ball away and into space. Here, he uses his first touch to control, then quickly shifts the ball into the space which means the Crystal Palace defender cannot put a tackle in.
His deft first touch moves the ball away from defenders allowing the forward to maintain possession under pressure. This prevents immediate tackles and interceptions, giving Osula extra time to assess the situation and make more calculated decisions.
Secondly, this ability to manoeuvre the ball with the first touch helps in creating space for subsequent actions. Whether it’s setting up a shot, initiating a dribble, or making a quick pass, the young forward gains a crucial advantage by putting distance between himself and the defender.
In this instance, Osula ensures his body orientation is optimal to move away from his man and then uses his first touch to roll his man and as we can see, he has space to drive into. Rather than using this space, he opts to try and check back onto his right foot which allows opposition defenders to get back and crowd him out.
This is perhaps down to poor decision-making in the final third or a lack of trust in his weaker foot. Osula’s fortunes in front of goal could be improved via some individual coaching in the future.
Whilst Will Osula has endured some struggles in front of goal, he has demonstrated that he possesses some excellent capabilities in build-up play. This is very positive and suggests that the desired goals can be added to his game, as he continues to get into optimal goal-scoring positions.
The Dane’s athleticism naturally lends itself to making runs in behind the opposition’s defensive line, as demonstrated here. His willingness to consistently make these runs behind the defensive line stretches the opposition’s defence.
This provides a constant attacking threat that forces defenders to drop deeper, creating more space in the midfield for the attacking team to exploit. Additionally, this spatial advantage then allows midfielders and playmakers to operate with more freedom, facilitating better ball distribution and creative play.
By doing this, Osula also adds a direct and dangerous dimension to the team’s attack. His speed means that he can latch onto through balls and long passes, bypassing the defensive line and creating one-on-one opportunities with the goalkeeper. This ability to break free from defenders can result in high-quality goal-scoring chances, increasing his team’s overall offensive threat.
Defensive Phase
As we know, Sheffield United endured a torrid time of it defensively in the 2023/24 campaign. Despite this, we did manage to see glimpses of Osula’s defensive abilities and it has to be said, there are plenty of positives.
He is always willing to get back into the defensive structure, the image above shows Osula within the Sheffield United defensive net. He demonstrates good awareness and generally positions himself well within the structure. On this occasion, he moves to close off the passing lane and makes an interception for his team. He averaged 1.1 interceptions per 90 for The Blades last season.
When Osula retreats in the defensive phase, he helps to compact the space between the midfield and defensive lines, making it harder for the opposition to find gaps and penetrate through. This compactness can force the opponent to move the play out wide or take less direct routes to goal, which can be more easily defended.
Moreover, he relieves the pressure on the midfield and defensive lines. By dropping back, Osula can mark opposing midfielders or fullbacks, preventing them from advancing freely and supporting their own attacks.
Osula also looks to use his speed to close down opposition defenders as they look to play out from the back. Here, he notices the opportunity to step out and close off the passing lane. The 21-year-old uses his physical frame to make himself as big as possible and as a result, makes the interception.
Furthermore, he has the intelligence to knock the ball down into the path of his teammate, allowing Sheffield United to execute a rapid transition.
He reads the game well and is able to identify pressing triggers such as a backwards pass and quickly jumps into action to initiate the press for his team.
It is also worth noting that Osula averaged 3.29 defensive duels per 90 minutes last season. He does not shy away from physical battles and consistently makes it challenging for opponents to get past him. His tenacity and exceptional work ethic are evident in this aspect of his game.
Transitions
In the attacking transition, Osula looks to use his speed and make runs in behind as we would expect. He also looks to provide some form of link-up play when possible though which is another dimension to his game. In this example, Sheffield United recover possession in the defensive third and aim to catch their opponents out of position via a long ball.
Osula, the target, does well in pinning his opponent and preventing him from winning the aerial duel and manages to knock the ball down into the path of his teammate. He then spins beyond his man and makes a run in behind the defensive line as Gus Hamer aims to find him with a through pass.
One of the primary benefits of Osula’s speed is the ability to catch the opposition off guard. This means his team can exploit moments when the opposing defence is unorganised and vulnerable.
If he could improve upon his hold-up play, he will undoubtedly become a superb asset in the offensive transition in the future.
In the defensive transition, Osula is capable of counterpressing due to his ability to cover ground rapidly. Here, once he sees his teammate lose possession, he springs into action and closes down the opponent, putting him under pressure which means he cannot play out.
Osula averaged 1.79 ball recoveries last season with 66% in the opposition half demonstrating his desire to regain possession high up the pitch. His physical presence also allows him to sustain the pressure which means he has the potential to be a real problem for defenders in the future.
Conclusion
Will Osula is a young forward with a lot of potential. This transfer could represent an excellent deal for both teams, Sheffield United will be receiving some much-needed funds to facilitate a squad rebuild. Newcastle will certainly be acquiring a raw talent in Osula, but he has the fundamentals needed to play at the top level so with the right guidance, he could turn out to be a potential gem for The Magpies.
The 21-year-old has a strong physical profile and understands how to create space for himself and get into goalscoring positions. His final product is lacking, as we have discussed but this is something that can be developed through coaching and more first-team exposure.
The Danish youth international will have to work hard to force his way into this Newcastle side but he will certainly become a better striker under the tutelage of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.
Overall, Will Osula is a young player with a bright future ahead, one to watch out for in the coming years.
