Newcastle striker Callum Wilson admits he struggled with his fall from main striker to substitute amid the rise of Alexander Isak.

Wilson, 33, is a free agent after his contract expired this summer. In the past season, he played 22 times in all competitions and scored only one goal, which was far below his previous performance.

Despite this, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has not ruled out the possibility of a contract extension.

"You go from being a starting striker to being a backup, and that's a hard gap to take," Wilson admitted on the High Performance podcast. "Every game, there's almost no debate about who should start - that's a given."

"In the time that I've been out injured for the past 18 months, Alexander has taken his performances to another level, which has been fantastic for the team and a huge boost to our overall level."

Wilson said he had to put aside his pride and ego in the face of the change in role: "When your playing time is reduced, you have to ask yourself: 'If I can't contribute on the court, what can I do off the court?' How can you help your teammates? How can you stay true to yourself without hiding the loss?"

"It's not easy and I'm trying to find the balance. I've had my ups and downs throughout the season, especially when you know you're going to be a free agent in the summer."

“This season has been filled with a lot of emotions and challenges, many of which I have never faced in my career.”