Pundit Tam McManus has claimed that Newcastle United would be 'mad' to sell Chris Wood after hearing some exit news on the striker.

The Lowdown: No long-term future?

As per The Athletic, the 31-year-old is 'unlikely' to feature in the 'ambitious' future plans at St James' Park as the Tyneside club look to target Champions League qualification. They rejected loan and permanent bids for the New Zealand international during the summer transfer window and are anticipating more offers in January.

Wood has been linked with a move back to Leeds United in the winter, while fellow Magpies striker Alexander Isak is still sidelined with injury, with the medical staff assessing him 'day by day'.

The Latest: Newcastle would be 'mad'

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus has claimed that Newcastle would be 'mad' to sell Wood in January, considering that Isak is out injured at the moment.

The 41-year-old said: “Newcastle aren’t going to sell Wood when their only other option is the injury-prone Wilson.

“That’s just not going to happen. I also like Wood. He does a job for Newcastle. He might not have the goals but he started a lot of games last season and really played a big role in helping the club stay up.

“People should remember that. He will also pop up with a goal if he gets in the right areas. He must be a nightmare to play against because of the size of him.

“He might not be glamourous but there are far worse strikers to have. Newcastle would be mad to sell him at the moment.”

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The Verdict: Depends on Isak

The decision to sell Wood should solely depend on the fitness of Isak going into January. The Sweden international could potentially return in the first week of the New Year, meaning that his Newcastle team-mate could slip further down the pecking order under Eddie Howe.

The 31-year-old has not exactly set the world alight since his move from Burnley last January, scoring just four goals and supplying no assists in 34 games across all competitions so far (Transfermarkt).

A fit Isak and Callum Wilson should offer enough firepower for the Magpies going into the second part of the campaign, especially if Miguel Almiron continues his £80,000-per-week wages off the books could be smart business in January.