Wissa has endured a tough first season at Newcastle United since joining from Brentford last summer
Yoane Wissa of Newcastle United
Yoane Wissa will ‘bounce back and show his worth’ to Newcastle United, despite speculation the club may look to cut their losses and sell him in the summer.
Wissa arrived last summer after the Magpies missed out on the likes of Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and Benjamin Sesko and ended up paying Brentford’s take it or leave it £55million price tag on the final day of the transfer window.
It was a gamble to pay such a high fee for a player in his age range but there was confidence within Newcastle that he could replicate his 20-goal haul for Brentford in all competitions last season.
However, he picked up a knee injury on international duty just days after his Newcastle move was sealed and it took him three months to return to action and make his debut for United.
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Since then, he has managed just three goals in 24 appearances in all competitions and he has ended up being a peripheral figure in Eddie Howe’s squad.
Reports overnight have claimed Newcastle would be open to selling him this summer despite the fact they will make a significant loss on the fee they paid for him.
But Wissa’s former DR Congo team-mate Paul-Jose Mpoku believes he will still come good at St James’ Park and has needed this adaptation period to get to grips with life on Tyneside.
“I think if Newcastle bought him, they know why they bought him. And I think he has some quality,” Mpoku, who is currently playing in the Baller League, told Goal.
“I don’t know if they’re using him as Brentford used him. I remember Brentford used to play two strikers. Here they don’t play really with two strikers. So I don’t know how they would want to play and change.
“But I think he’s proven himself in the Premier League that he’s capable to play and capable to score. And also, he had some big injuries that didn’t really help him to adapt quickly. You always need an adaptation, no matter if you’re already in the country. I’m sure he will bounce back and show his worth.”
Paul-Jose Mpoku playing for Standard Liege against Arsenal in the Europa League(Image: BRUNO FAHY/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking about Wissa’s future earlier this month, Howe said: “He’s had a very difficult season and I think the most difficult part for Yoane is that he got back fit and of course there was a huge feeling inside of him that he wanted to rush back and show everyone how good he is and then we haven’t been able to train him how we would normally train him.
“It’s very small groups, game every two or three days, stop-start for him, he was never able to get a rhythm. I still think there’s loads more to come. I feel a pre-season would definitely help him. You’ll see a totally different player with a really sustained period where he’s able to do what he needs to do.
“He’s been trying, he’s been really wanting to make a difference. There have been physical things stopping him from doing that. No injury, just time on the pitch, he needs training to get his body up to full speed. The best is yet to come.”
Wissa came off the bench and made an impact in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Arsenal, although he missed a gilt-edged chance to level proceedings in the final 10 minutes of the game. He will hope to get a further chance to prove himself in the final four matches of the season.