Newcastle United’s new £55 million signing, Yoane Wissa, is set to miss nine matches after picking up a knee injury while on international duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Manager Eddie Howe expressed frustration, saying the club was “powerless” to prevent the setback. Wissa, who hadn’t played all summer, featured heavily in two matches for DR Congo, scoring in both. However, the toll from playing 134 minutes across four days resulted in an injury that has already kept him out of games against Wolves and Barcelona. He’s not expected to return until after the October international break, missing seven Newcastle matches and two more with his national team. The club is hopeful he can be fit for the Premier League clash against Brighton on October 18, but Howe admits his availability remains uncertain.
Eddie Howe Gives Injury Update on Yoane Wissa, Admits Frustration Over International Setback
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has shared an update on Yoane Wissa’s injury, confirming the striker is likely sidelined until after the upcoming international break. Howe expressed disappointment over the situation, stating the club had done everything possible to manage Wissa’s fitness but had no control once he joined up with the DR Congo national team.
“We wanted Yoane to be fit and ready, and I don’t think we could’ve done anything differently,” Howe said. “When players go on international duty, you can’t control how much they play, and sadly he got injured.”
He added that Wissa is now in a race to be fit for the Premier League clash against Brighton on October 18.
When asked about DR Congo’s handling of the player, Howe chose not to point fingers but admitted the club is “devastated” by the injury. “We just have to focus on getting him back safely. He’s still going to be an important player for us this season,” he said.
Newcastle Rely on Woltemade Amid Wissa Injury, Howe Urges Caution with New Striker
With Yoane Wissa sidelined, Newcastle United are leaning heavily on new club-record signing Nick Woltemade as their only senior striker. The £69 million German forward is expected to start in Sunday’s clash against Bournemouth, but manager Eddie Howe is mindful of easing him into Premier League life.
Woltemade impressed with a goal on his debut against Wolves but was rotated out for the match against Barcelona in favour of Anthony Gordon, who is now suspended for the Bournemouth game due to a domestic ban.
Speaking about Woltemade, Howe said, “We need to take care of him. It’s tough coming into a new league you could see the physical toll from the Wolves match and how quickly the next game followed. Even with careful management, there’s no guarantee he stays fit or can play every game.”
Howe praised the striker’s promising start, saying he was happy with his impact off the bench and involvement in a goal. “We’ll do our best to help him stay healthy and adjust to the demands of the Premier League,” he added.
