Newcastle United are unlikely to see Yoane Wissa anytime soon - with AFCON also on the horizon.
Yoane Wissa has reportedly been ruled out for up to five weeks with a knee injury suffered while on international duty.
Newcastle United were already preparing to be without the striker over the festive period due to the African Cup of Nations - dealing a double blow to his £55million arrival. Supporters were keen to see the £55million man in action for the first time against Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday.
However, fears emerged when Wissa went down unchallenged in DR Congo’s defeat to Senegal in midweek. The 29-year-old was immediately substituted but little information emerged about the severity of his injury.
Eddie Howe confirmed on Friday that Wissa will not make his highly-anticipated debut this weekend, with Nick Woltemade given the nod instead. The German made up for Wissa’s absence by getting off the mark with a typical centre-forward’s finish to put Wolves to the sword.
Injury and AFCON nightmare
But in the background, Wissa’s knee injury raised concern, with rumours of a potential ACL tear circulating on social media. Sky Sports report that he has not suffered cruciate damage but will face five weeks on the sidelines.
This will keep Wissa out of at least six fixtures - including Thursday’s mammoth clash against Barcelona. Coupled with the AFCON, the Congolese forward will now miss at least nine games for the Magpies this season.
His first game is on December 23 - ruling him out of Premier League clashes against Chelsea, Manchester United and Burnley. Any further fixtures missed will depend on DR Congo’s progress at the tournament.
Eddie Howe on Nick Woltemade
The goalscoring burden will fall on Woltemade’s shoulders, with others also expected to step up. Yesterday’s win over Wolves was Anthony Gordon’s final game of his three-match ban after being sent off against Liverpool last month.
Speaking post-match, Howe said about Woltemade: “There was a lot of love for Nick (after the game) and a lot of pats on the back. The group are really good at doing that, when someone does well.
“It was a great moment for Nick. I was very pleased with how he played. You saw his technical qualities and his intelligence. But most importantly for a striker, when the ball comes into the box, you need to be there - and he was.
“It was a great finish. I’m really pleased for him personally because that just settles him down and relaxes him. He’s a very humble guy, he wants to do well and he’s delighted to be here. I think it’s a great start.”
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Yoane Wissa’s first words
“I’m really happy to be here and to sign for one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League,” Wissa said after the move. “I’m very, very excited to put on the black and white shirt. I’ve got dreams, I’ve got faith, and now I will do my best to make it all happen. I can’t wait to get started.”
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