Newcastle United are still waiting for clarity on the return of Yoane Wissa as the striker approaches three months on the sidelines with a knee injury that has dragged on far longer than anyone at the club expected.
The situation has become increasingly frustrating, not just because of his importance to Eddie Howe’s attack, but because there is now a very significant date approaching that could affect both Newcastle and the DR Congo national team.
Wissa arrived at Newcastle from Brentford on deadline day for £55million and brought with him an excellent injury record. Before signing for Newcastle, the forward had barely suffered any major setbacks in recent seasons. That luck changed almost instantly.
While away on international duty with DR Congo, he suffered a PCL injury in his knee an issue far more stubborn than first feared. Newcastle hoped he would return by late November, but that target has come and gone. Each update has pushed his comeback further away, and the 29-year-old forward still has not trained fully with his new teammates.
The latest twist came when Eddie Howe confirmed that Wissa would not take part in the Premier League match against Manchester City at St James’ Park. The manager has also made it clear that the matches against Marseille and Everton will come too soon for the striker.
At this point, even Howe cannot give an exact date for when Wissa will be available again. He avoids making promises because the player’s rehabilitation continues to stall in small but frustrating ways.
Howe explained that Wissa has at least moved past the first stage of his recovery. He is no longer working with the physios and is now training with the sports science department, slowly rebuilding strength and mobility.
However, because he has not played a competitive match since May, he effectively needs a mini pre-season before he can even think about returning to Howe’s squad. That process alone could take up to six weeks. Even then, he will need time to adapt to Newcastle’s style of play, regain sharpness, and build chemistry with his teammates none of which can be rushed.
The manager praised Wissa’s attitude, noting that every session makes him look “better” and “stronger,” but insisted that until he returns to full training, predicting a timeline would be meaningless.
The situation is no longer just a Newcastle concern, because Wissa is also expected to be part of DR Congo’s plans for the upcoming African Cup of Nations. That tournament begins on December 21 in Morocco, but national teams must submit their squads by December 11. That deadline is now dangerously close, and Wissa’s fitness is nowhere near certain.
If Wissa cannot train fully with Newcastle before the AFCON list is submitted, it becomes hard to imagine DR Congo risking a slot on a player who has not played in six months.
They could still name him in the hope he regains fitness during the tournament, but that carries heavy risks for both club and country. From Newcastle’s perspective, losing him for up to eight matches without seeing him play a single game for the club would be a huge blow.
From DR Congo’s perspective, taking an unfit player to a major tournament may harm their chances of building momentum on the pitch.
If Wissa does go to AFCON, he would miss at least four Newcastle matches and potentially up to eight depending on how far DR Congo progress. Yet if he stays in England, Newcastle would have a clearer path to controlling his comeback.
Howe was asked directly if Wissa would be fit enough to travel to AFCON, but his answer revealed just how uncertain the situation is. He kept it simple, saying only that they would “wait and see what happens.”
The lack of clarity has now become one of Newcastle’s biggest headaches. The club invested heavily in Wissa because of his pace, movement, and ability to play across the frontline, yet they have not had the chance to integrate him.
His absence has forced Howe to experiment with makeshift combinations in attack, and the team has suffered because of the lack of balance and finishing power in certain matches.
Supporters were excited to see what Wissa could bring to the team, but with every passing week, the anticipation drifts into concern. A long-term injury is always difficult to manage, but one complicated by national team commitments and missed timelines becomes even harder to navigate.
For now, Newcastle can only monitor his progress and hope the next phase of training finally brings him closer to returning. The coming days will play a major role in determining not just whether Wissa joins DR Congo for AFCON, but how Newcastle manage the second half of their season.
