For Newcastle United, strikers have always been at the heart of the club’s identity.
From Alan Shearer’s record-breaking heroics to the short but sparkling spells of players like Demba Ba and Papiss Cissé, Newcastle’s frontmen have shaped eras on Tyneside.
Shearer is the undisputed benchmark, a local hero who scored 206 goals for the club and remains the Premier League’s all-time top scorer. But Newcastle’s striker lineage is full of memorable names.
Ba’s 29 Premier League goals earned him a big move to Chelsea, Cissé’s wonder strikes helped fire the Magpies to fifth under Alan Pardew, and Ayoze Pérez developed from a Tenerife prospect into a Premier League regular.
Even Salomón Rondón, who spent just a single season on loan, left an impression with his strength and work rate, although Mike Ashley’s refusal to sanction a permanent deal frustrated supporters.
Yet the hunt for a true successor to Shearer’s crown has often defined Newcastle’s modern history. In the recent past, one player in particular has carried the burden of comparison: Alexander Isak.
How Isak compares to Shearer's start
When Shearer arrived at Newcastle for £15m in 1996, he did so as the most expensive player in the world.
Shearer was the archetypal English centre-forward. Powerful, commanding in the air, and unerringly ruthless in front of goal.
He embodied grit and consistency, traits that made him one of the most revered strikers in football history.
Isak, meanwhile, represents a new generation. His acrimonious transfer to Liverpool in 2025 for a British-record £125m confirmed his status as one of the continent’s top forwards.
Signed from Real Sociedad in 2022, the Swedish striker gave Newcastle exactly what they had been missing: goals at the highest level.
In just 109 appearances, he scored 62 times and provided 11 assists, his efficiency and composure drawing attention from Europe’s elite.
That included 54 goals across his three Premier League campaigns at St James’. For context, Shearer’s first three seasons at the club – albeit while impacted by injury in 1997/98 – yielded only 41 league goals.
Isak somewhat differs from Shearer in style, however. Where Shearer bulldozed through defenders and imposed himself physically, Isak glided past opponents with skill, pace, and creativity.
He was as comfortable linking play outside the box as he was finishing inside it.
His 23 league goals last season helped Eddie Howe’s side to reach the Champions League last season, stretching defences and creating space for teammates such as Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy along the way.
Like Shearer, Isak thrived under pressure, scoring in big games and shouldering the weight of expectation from a fanbase that reveres its strikers.
Though his time on Tyneside was shorter than his predecessor, Isak proved that Newcastle could still nurture world-class forwards capable of defining an era. Could there have been another player of Shearer-ilk lost along the way, however?
Aleksandar Mitrovic was meant to be Shearer 2.0
Before Isak, it was Aleksandar Mitrović who was one of many players tipped as Newcastle’s long-term number nine.
Signed from Anderlecht in 2015 for £13m, the Serbian striker arrived with raw potential and a reputation for physical dominance.
Matches Played
59
Starts
33
Goals
13
Assists
10
Shots on Target
49
At the time, manager John Carver was bold in his assessment:
“He’s the nearest we’ve had to Alan Shearer since Alan Shearer because of his hold up play. He’s good in the air, he’s strong.”
Stylistically, the comparison made sense.
Mitrović, like Shearer, thrived on aerial duels, physical presence, and link-up play. But while Shearer channelled his aggression into goals, Mitrović often let his emotions boil over.
The Serbian received two red cards in black and white. It was only after leaving St James’ Park that Mitrović truly blossomed.
At Fulham, he became one of the Championship’s most feared strikers, scoring 111 goals in 206 appearances and breaking the all-time record for goals in a single season with 46.
He dragged Fulham back into the Premier League, becoming a cult hero at Craven Cottage.
His career then took him abroad. At Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, he scored 68 goals in just 79 appearances, forming a lethal partnership with Serbia teammate Sergej Milinković-Savić.
In 2025, he moved again, this time to Qatar Stars League side Al Rayyan, where he hopes to continue delivering elite numbers.
Mitrović may not have fulfilled the Shearer prophecy at Newcastle, but his career proves he was always capable of being a prolific scorer.
He simply needed the right environment to thrive.