Yoane Wissa: Eddie Howe raises concerns about attacker’s form

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has raised concerns about the performance of DR Congo forward, Yoane Wissa.

The 29-year-old has struggled for form this season with a knee injury limiting him to just 15 appearances with just a goal.

Having picked up a knee injury in 2025 during international duty with Leopards, the former Brentford forward is battling to earn more minutes with the Magpies.

Eddie Howe gave a candid opinion about the performance of Wissa.

“The shoulder problem Yoane had was the injury he suffered in September. When he came back, he still wasn’t physically capable of providing the quality of performance he had traditionally provided in Premier League.

“He doesn’t doubt the quality of the player, but we had to put him in a physical condition so that he could deliver his best performances ahead of the end of the season – that’s the challenge.

“Since we sometimes come back to full training with the equipment, I think we have a better amortization in his performances, because trying to get him back in shape with a little number of days of training is difficult. As long as he continues to show that trajectory ascending, I think we will see the best of him coming.”

Wissa joined Newcastle United from Brentford in a deal worth £55million last summer but is yet to find his feet.

He has 36 caps with eight goals for the Leopards who have qualified for their second ever World Cup in Mexico, Canada and USA.

Wissa won his maiden call into the DR Congo squad for a pair of friendly matches in October 2020.

He scored his first two international goals on his second and third caps, in friendly and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches versus Morocco respectively.

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