Alan Shearer sends transfer warning to Newcastle after 3-1 win over West Ham

Newcastle United returned to winning ways on Sunday with a 3-1 win over relegation-threatened West Ham United.

While still far from perfect, it was a much better performance from Eddie Howe's men, although the Hammer made life very easy for the Magpies.

There's just one more game to get through this season, then the rebuild can begin, and there are certainly plenty of areas that could use improvement after this season.

Eddie Howe downplayed the need for a striker recently, but many people would disagree with him on that one, one of which is former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer.

Shearer: Much better, but we still need a striker!

Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast, Alan Shearer noted the improvement in the performance on Sunday, and reserved special praise for Will Osula who bagged a brace, but Shearer also warned that Osula's recent form doesn't mean Newcastle should feel as though they don't need to sign a striker in the summer.

"I thought it was much better from Newcastle. Much more positivity, (Kieran) Trippier leaving, (Emil)Krafth leaving, so they get to leave on a good note. Good way to end the season at St James' Park because there has been a lot of negativity and Newcastle have been poor by recent standards.

"So good to get the three points, but I have to say, West Ham: Oh my goodness. They were dreadful defensively. It was like watching an under-15 or 16 amateur side at times, how bad they are defensively.

" (Nick) Woltemade got a goal. I am pleased for him. Osula got two. He looked really good, really promising, really energetic and took his goals well. He has done really well.

"He (Osula) has done everything that has been asked of him of late. But I don't think Newcastle should be fooled in terms of the last three or four weeks, what he has done and what happened today. They still need recruitment in that position."

Something to build on 

Eddie Howe has been heaping praise on Will Osula, and after five goals in his last six games, he certainly deserves it, but Howe always seems to go out of his way to make the point that the Danish Under-21 international is still far from the finished article. So while we can enjoy his recent run of form, it does suggest that Howe isn't ready to rely on Osula as his main striker.

Meanwhile, Nick Woltemade scored a goal on Sunday, his first in the Premier League in 2026. If ever there was a man who needed a goal, it was Woltemade after a run of 17 Premier League games without. He seemed to play behind Osula as a second striker, and it looked very much like it suited him, which could be where we see him deployed from next season.

That just leaves Yoane Wissa, and he's the one that we would sacrifice to bring in another striker if Howe and Ross Wilson are insisting that three strikers in the squad is enough. We've not seen anything from Wissa on the pitch to suggest we should persist with him. He spoke very well in a recent interview, and that made us want to see him turn the corner, but again, nothing on the pitch has convinced us that he's the right fit for Newcastle.

Of course, the question is, who should, could and indeed would come in?