Striker Yoane Wissa is making considerable progress in his recovery and is on the verge of making his debut for Newcastle United, as confirmed by manager Eddie Howe. Wissa, who transferred from Brentford for a reported fee of £55 million ($73.4 million) three months ago, suffered a knee injury while on international duty, preventing him from appearing for the Magpies in a competitive match so far.
In a media briefing ahead of Newcastle’s impending Premier League match against Burnley, Howe shared positive updates regarding Wissa’s condition. “He’s getting closer. We had an 11 versus 11 game sort of for him on Wednesday, which was good; it allowed him to get around half an hour on the pitch, and he performed well,” Howe remarked.
The manager underscored the importance of further assessing Wissa’s fitness before making a decision on his potential impact in the upcoming match. “We’ll see how he is today. He’s looked good and come through everything. We have more training today, and we need to decide if he is fit and ready to make a difference at his highest levels,” he said.
In a further boost for Newcastle, Wissa’s potential return means he won’t be participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, as he was not selected for the DR Congo squad. This week, he expressed his support for his national team on Instagram, stating, “I’ll be the number one supporter! Big up to the family.”
While the excitement around Wissa’s imminent return grows, Newcastle recognizes the need to address their recent form, having dropped 11 points from winning positions this season, the highest in the league. Howe emphasized learning from these experiences, saying, “We’re always looking at patterns and trends, and I don’t believe there’s anything fundamentally wrong; however, we can certainly improve.”
Additionally, Howe is optimistic about Sandro Tonali’s situation after he left the pitch during the game against Tottenham. “He’s had a scan, and we don’t think it’s too bad. It was a knock similar to the one Joelinton sustained, and we’ll see how he is today,” he mentioned.
As Newcastle prepares to leverage their home advantage, they remain unbeaten at St. James’ Park in the Premier League since August. Fans are hopeful that with Wissa nearing fitness, the team can regain momentum and secure vital points as they aim to improve their league standings.