‘Genuinely’: Darren Bent insists £20m Newcastle player is good enough to go to the World Cup with England

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Darren Bent has insisted on TalkSPORT that Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson is good enough to go to the World Cup with England.

Wilson made the switch to St James’ Park back in 2020 from Bournemouth for a fee worth £20 million (Sky Sports).

The English striker has been the Magpies’ most prolific goal scorer during this period, but his progress has been hampered by injuries.

The 30-year-old got off to a flying start to the current season too as he bagged two goals in three games for Eddie Howe’s side. But he suffered another setback against Manchester City on his third appearance of the campaign and was sidelined until the trip to Craven Cottage earlier this month.

Wilson bagged a goal on his return and has now scored three times in six games. And Bent feels that if it wasn’t for injury setbacks, he would be going to the World Cup with England.

Bent insists Wilson is good enough to go to World Cup

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Bent says Gareth Southgate would have ‘serious problems’ in terms of selecting his squad if Wilson had avoided injuries.

“I genuinely think, if he [Wilson] could stay fit he would be in the squad. One hundred per cent,” he said.

“He has been brilliant for Newcastle when he’s fit. Do you know what I like about him? He scores against all the big heads [big clubs] as well. He doesn’t just score against the little teams either.

“Who’s the three? [Harry] Kane, [Tammy] Abraham and [Ivan] Toney? You wouldn’t have any arguments from me but I’m saying Callum Wilson, if he was fit.”

Host Andy Goldstein says he’d rather take Wilson over Abraham, but Bent wasn’t so sure.

“I don’t know about that, [that’s] tough,” Bent added.

“But if he was fully fit all the time that would give Gareth Southgate some serious problems.”

Wilson has only earned four caps for England under Southgate, with his last call-up coming way back in November 2019.

But his progress at St James’ Park has been impacted massively by his recurring injury problems.

England are not particularly blessed in the striker department at this moment in time, apart from Harry Kane.

Ivan Toney is performing incredibly well for Brentford this season but he is still relatively inexperienced at the top level.

If Wilson can avoid picking up more injuries and continue to impress under Howe, he could give Southgate something to think about next month.