‘Has to’ - Jose Enrique and Rio Ferdinand have both issued verdict on Newcastle United’s striker debate

Former Newcastle United star Jose Enrique is in agreemend with Rio Ferdinand over Alexander Isak.

Eddie Howe has quite the dilemma on his hands ahead of the new season, with Callum Wilson and Isak scrapping for position in the front line. Both players enjoyed superb seasons of last, and it’s likely Howe will play with one central striker in his 4-3-3 system. Of course, there are more options, with oneof the two likely playing wide at times, while Howe has also been experimenting with a back three, opening up the possibility of playing with a front two.

A record signing last season, Isak may have the edge after enjoying a superb end to last season, and that’s something former defender Enrique has echoed.

“I love Isak and if he is at his peak then I think he is the starting striker,” Enrique told Grosvenor Sport. “But Callum Wilson can score goals as well, he’s a very good striker and he’s very underrated. The only problem with both of them is that they are not fit enough sometimes and they are injury prone.

“If they are both fit and both in their prime, for me Isak has to start.”

He added: “We have seen that Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson can play together before when Isak played on the left a few times last season.

“If we talk about them playing together as strikers and changing the system, it could happen and it depends on the game. If they need a goal they could maybe play with both of them up front at the same time, but I don’t think Eddie Howe is the kind of manager that changes the system too much.

“You look at how he played at Bournemouth and how he plays at Newcastle now and he likes to play 4-3-3 and that’s how he sets up his teams. What a problem to have, though. To have two strikers that are scoring goals, I don’t think he will be too worried about that problem.”

The comments follow a glowing verdict issued by Ferdinand on Isak in the spring. The BT Sport pundit said: “Isak has that something else. he is a fabulous mover. he has that finesse, and he can finish. I watched him in his first game against Anfield when he came on and scored an explosive goal.

“I’m looking forward to see how he develops in this Newcastle team. He is a calm, cool and collected guy, but there is going to be a ceiling underneath him. To get the goals he has got in his career and to get to the path he has so far, you have to have an element of determination.”