Newcastle United are back. One of the most exciting and fast-rising outfits in Europe, Eddie Howe's side have returned to prominence after decades of mediocrity and look set to stay at the forefront of the game.
The Premier League club have risen from relegation danger since the affluent PIF takeover in 2021 to now await the imminent 2023/24 Champions League campaign, having qualified for the continental competition last season after finishing fourth, ahead of the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
It's the first time the Magpies have qualified since 2003, with a foray into the Europa League in 2012/13 the only time the St. James' Park side has tasted European football since 2005.
To propel Newcastle into Europe over a decade ago, fans will eternally wax lyrical over the sensational striking partnership of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, with the Senegalese forwards combining superbly to spearhead that rise.
How good were Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse for Newcastle?
Newcastle were enjoying their finest campaign in years. Led by Alan Pardew, the Magpies were indeed flying, and finished fifth in the English top flight after sustaining a season-long purple patch that secured qualification to the Europa League, sending a proud fanbase into a din of adulation.
As Newcastle started the season on fire, they were headed they by electric striker Demba Ba, who was signed on a free transfer that summer after Pardew's side beat divisional rivals Everton to his signature.
He was simply superb, praised for his "terrific" performances by his boss and indeed blitzing into form after a slow start.
Having failed to clinch a strike across his first four outings, Ba would score 16 goals and supply three assists across his following 16 outings – including hat-tricks against Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City – electric in his frontal feats before fizzling out around the season's midpoint.
But as his prowess waned, another stepped up to the plate.
In January 2012, Pardew and co came to the decision that Ba could not possibly assume such a paramount role on his own for the duration of the year, especially with the prospect of securing European football so palpable as the results kept on coming.
To alleviate the burden, Papiss Cisse was signed for around £10m from German side Freiburg after impressing for the Bundesliga outfit and posting nine goals and three assists from 17 displays that term, but no one envisaged the calibre of cutting edge that was headed for Tyneside.
In the latter phase of the campaign, Cisse plundered 13 goals and two assists from 14 games at Newcastle, scoring 'that' goal against Chelsea as he spearheaded the club's successful pursuit of European football.
Since that fondly remembered time, Newcastle never really unearthed a new starring talisman – Alexander Mitrovic and Ivan Toney both played for the club in the interim, but neither enjoyed their most fruitful periods on Tyneside.
Callum Wilson, who was signed from Bournemouth in 2020 for £20m, has cemented himself as a reliable goalscorer and enjoyed a most prolific season last year, bagging 18 goals and five assists from 31 league matches, but it is Howe's star signing Alexander Isak who could develop into one of Newcastle's most heralded strikers ever as the club continues to rise over the coming years.
Why did Newcastle sign Alexander Isak?
In August 2022, Howe welcomed the man to serve as Newcastle's talisman for a period that tantalises great success, with Swedish striker Isak completing a club-record £63m transfer from LaLiga side Real Sociedad.
It was off the back of a productive time in Spain that saw him score 44 times from 132 appearances, including 17 goals from 34 league matches in the 2020/21 term.
After gleaning his signature, Howe said: "He is an outstanding talent who is capable of making a big contribution to the team.
"He is technically very good, with a mix of attributes that will complement us, but he is also at a great age to grow with this club."
Still only 23-years-old, Isak has been hailed "as a unicorn for his mixture of size & technical ability" – as relayed by presenter Kev Lawson – and could be set for a massive season for the trophy-chasing Magpies after enjoying a successful, if injury hampered first season in England last year.
How good is Alexander Isak?
After switching scorching Spain for the cooler climate of England's North East, Isak swiftly asserted himself as a clinical presence and netted on his debut in the Premier League against Liverpool at Anfield.
Despite suffering an injury-hit maiden year in England – sidelined for 16 matches – Isak managed to post an impressive return of ten goals and two assists from 22 outings in the English top-flight – including just 17 starts – and earned praise from journalist Chris Waugh as he "petrified" defences.
This term, the 6 foot 4 sensation started in the finest possible fashion and netted a clinical brace against Aston Villa as Howe's side opened their seasonal account with aplomb, dispatching their opposition 5-1 at St. James' Park.
He has yet to add to his tally after a trio of defeats for Newcastle, but the cogs are undoubtedly going to click again for the Toon sooner rather than later, with the 42-cap international relishing the chance to lead the line under European nights after over ten years without continental football at the distinguished outfit.
As the FBref chart above shows, Isak is one of the most competent forwards across Europe's top five leagues in possession, while also ranking among the top 23% for non-penalty goals and the top 18% for shot-creating actions per 90.
This is largely the reason why Howe signed him; a devastating focal frontman, the £120k-per-week phenom's technical quality also allows him to thread the play together and aid the continuity of the offensive flow.
Isak is bearing all the signs of etching his name into perpetual Newcastle folklore, but he will need to spearhead the club to silver-laden success in order to truly eclipse the likes of Ba and Cisse, who have left lasting legacies themselves.
However, the way things are going on Tyneside right now, the Swede looks likely to lead the line for a sustained period of success unlike anything the club has bore witness to in an age, putting him on a pedestal among the likes of Alan Shearer as one of Newcastle's greatest ever forwards.