Yoane Wissa has finally spoken out after being officially left out of DR Congo’s squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, confirming what many Newcastle United fans had quietly hoped for.
The forward, signed from Brentford in September, has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Magpies due to a stubborn knee injury. His long recovery has kept him on the sidelines for months, but he has recently taken major steps toward full fitness, giving Eddie Howe and supporters reason to believe his debut is not far away.
Wissa’s absence has been felt throughout the season. Although Nick Woltemade has carried much of the goalscoring burden with impressive maturity, Newcastle have lacked genuine depth in the forward positions.
The expectation that Wissa might regain fitness in December, make a few appearances, and then immediately depart for AFCON had created worry among many supporters. With the squad already stretched by injuries, losing him again so quickly would have been a significant blow.
However, those concerns have now faded. DR Congo released their official squad list on Monday, and Wissa’s name was noticeably missing. While his omission is undoubtedly disappointing for his national team, it offers a glimmer of relief for Newcastle.
The forward has represented DR Congo 35 times and scored eight goals, making him one of their more experienced attacking options. But for now, recovery and rhythm with Newcastle take priority.
Wissa reacted to the announcement with dignity and positivity. Posting on Instagram, he shared the squad list and added a short but heartfelt message: “I’ll be the number one supporter!! Big up to the family.”
Even though he cannot join his teammates on the pitch, he made it clear he will be cheering them on from afar. It shows the professionalism and selflessness that impressed Newcastle when they made their £50 million investment.
His injury record before arriving at St James’ Park paints a mixed picture. During his Brentford career, he missed eight games in the 2021–22 season but remarkably went through both the 2022–23 and 2023–24 campaigns without missing a single match.
This year, however, has mirrored his first Premier League season, with another eight matches missed already due to this latest setback. It highlights just how unfortunate Newcastle’s luck has been when it comes to injuries—an ongoing theme of their season.
The big question now is when Wissa will finally make his Newcastle debut. Supporters are eager to see how he fits into Howe’s system, especially with his ability to run at defenders, press aggressively, and contribute both as a wide forward and a central threat.
However, Howe is taking a cautious approach. This knee injury is the most significant of Wissa’s career, and rushing him back could cause more harm than good. Newcastle have already seen how players who miss pre-season, like Alexander Isak earlier in his Liverpool spell, often take time to reach full intensity.
Interestingly, Howe has revealed that the club does have a target date in mind for Wissa’s return, but he purposely refuses to make it public. The manager explained at his pre-match press conference before the win against Everton: “We have got a date in mind but we will keep that to ourselves. I don’t want to disappoint anybody. We want to involve him as soon as possible, but we want him to be able to perform.”
His words reflect both caution and ambition. The club wants Wissa back quickly, but not at the cost of another setback or a loss of confidence.
For Newcastle fans, the thought of seeing Wissa in black and white for the first time is genuinely exciting. His power, directness, movement, and goalscoring instincts made him one of Brentford’s most important players, and many believe he could bring a new dimension to Howe’s front line.
The big question floating around Tyneside now is simple: how many goals can Yoane Wissa score once he’s back?
Whatever the answer may be, one thing is certain Newcastle are desperate to see him on the pitch, and missing AFCON gives him the perfect window to focus entirely on his recovery and integration.
His return could not come at a better time for a team still fighting to stay competitive in a season full of challenges.
