William Osula
Personal information
Full name William Idemudia Daugaard Osula[1]
Date of birth (2003-08-04) 4 August 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth Copenhagen, Denmark
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
Newcastle United
Number 18
Youth career
Copenhagen
2018–2022 Sheffield United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2024 Sheffield United 28 (0)
2022–2023 → Derby County (loan) 16 (2)
2024– Newcastle United 30 (3)
International career‡
2022 Denmark U19 1 (0)
2023–2025 Denmark U21 15 (8)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 01:30, 5 March 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 11:17, 1 September 2025 (UTC)

William Idemudia Daugaard Osula (/oʊˈsuːlə/; ; Danish pronunciation: [ˈvil.jæm oˈsuː.lɑ]; born 4 August 2003) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Newcastle United.

Club career

Sheffield United

Osula is a youth product of Danish club F.C. Copenhagen, where he played before moving to the youth academy of Sheffield United in 2018.[2] On 13 July 2021, he signed his first professional contract with the Yorkshire club.[3] He made his first team debut in a 0–0 draw against Blackpool on 16 March 2022, coming on as a late substitute in the 91st minute.[4]

Loan to Derby County

On 1 September 2022, Osula joined Derby County on a season-long loan.[5] On 15 October 2022, having already appeared four times from the bench, Osula made his first start for the club, scoring two goals in a 3–0 victory at Accrington Stanley.[6]

Return from loan

On 6 January 2024, Osula scored a brace for Sheffield United in a 4–0 FA Cup victory over Gillingham, marking his first senior goals for the club.[7]

Newcastle United

On 8 August 2024, Newcastle United announced the signing of Osula for £10,000,000 with a further £5,000,000 in add-ons.[8] On 12 January 2025, Osula scored his first goal for the club in the third round of the FA Cup, the third of a 3–1 win over Bromley.[9] On 26 April 2025, he scored his first Premier League goal in a 3–0 win over Ipswich Town, heading in from a Kieran Trippier corner.[10]

International career

Osula was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to a Danish mother and a Nigerian-French father and moved to England at a young age. Osula is eligible to play for Denmark, England, France and Nigeria. He also holds both British and French nationalities.[11] He was called up to a training camp for the Denmark U19s in February 2022.[12] He debuted with the Denmark U19s in a friendly 3–2 loss to the Hungary U19s on 23 February 2022.[13]

In November 2025 he was called up to the Danish national team for the World Cup qualification matches against Scotland and Belarus, but an injury forced him to withdraw. He was replaced by Yussuf Poulsen.[14]

Career statistics

As of match played 4 March 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sheffield United 2021–22[15] Championship 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
2022–23[16] Championship 2 0 – – – 2 0
2023–24[17] Premier League 21 0 2 3 1 0 – 24 3
Total 28 0 2 3 1 0 0 0 31 3
Derby County (loan) 2022–23[16] League One 16 2 3 3 1 0 1[a] 0 21 5
Newcastle United 2024–25[18] Premier League 14 1 2 1 3 0 – 19 2
2025–26[19] Premier League 16 2 1 0 3 2 4[b] 0 24 4
Total 30 3 3 1 6 2 4 0 43 6
Career total 74 5 7 6 9 3 5 0 95 14
  1. ^ Appearance in EFL Trophy
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

Honours

Newcastle United

  • EFL Cup: 2024–25[20]

References

  1. ^ "2023/24 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  2. ^ Hemmingham, Nathan (17 March 2022). "'Unpredictable' – spotlight on young Sheffield United striker Will Osula". YorkshireLive.
  3. ^ "Six sign pro deals". Sheffield United FC. 13 July 2021.
  4. ^ Wignall, Ben (17 March 2022). "William Osula issues message following Sheffield United debut v Blackpool". Football League World.
  5. ^ "FORWARD OSULA MAKES DEADLINE DAY LOAN MOVE TO DERBY". Derby County F.C. 1 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Accrington Stanley 0–3 Derby County". BBC Sport. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Gillingham 0–4 Sheffield United: William Osula and James McAtee hit doubles as Blades progress". BBC Sport. 6 January 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  8. ^ "William Osula to Newcastle United: The Athletic 500 transfer ratings". 8 August 2024 – via NYTimes.com.
  9. ^ Taylor, Louise (12 January 2024). "Will Osula settles Newcastle nerves after Bromley threaten FA Cup upset". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Newcastle 3–0 Ipswich: Alexander Isak, Dan Burn and William Osula goals send Kieran McKenna's side back to Championship". Sky Sports.
  11. ^ "First EPL squad involvement for West Brom and Sheffield United teenagers of Nigerian descent:: All Nigeria Soccer – The Complete Nigerian Football Portal". allnigeriasoccer.com.
  12. ^ "Sheffield-talent udtaget for DK: Har fortid i KB". bold.dk.
  13. ^ "Landsholdsdatabasen". DBU.
  14. ^ "Yussuf Poulsen erstatter skadet Osula på landsholdet" [Yussuf Poulsen replaces injured Osula on the national team] (in Danish). Nordjyske. 10 November 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  15. ^ "Games played by William Osula in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Games played by William Osula in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Games played by William Osula in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Games played by William Osula in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  19. ^ "Games played by William Osula in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Liverpool 1–2 Newcastle United: Line-ups". BBC Sport. 16 March 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.