The DR Congo international is desperate to begin a partnership with Nick Woltemade
Newcastle United's Yoane Wissa, Eddie Howe and Nick Woltemade
Newcastle United's Yoane Wissa, Eddie Howe and Nick Woltemade
View Image
Newcastle United's attacking options could be about to get even better as Eddie Howe looks to make the most of a rich vein of form.
Having the option of playing Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade is something Howe will have imagined, but an early career setback from the £55m man has held him back. The option of unleashing a £124m strikeforce is now lying in wait, with Wissa closing in on a return.
The sight of Yoane Wissa having fun in the training ground canteen with his team-mates is the perfect sign that things are looking up again for Howe and his backroom staff. Wissa is back on the grass and looking to return to action a week on Sunday when Newcastle travel to West Ham.
Having Wissa on the pitch at the same time as £69m man Nick Woltemade would be a major boost for United. But the DR Congo international is making good progress and has not suffered any fresh setbacks.
Wissa injured his knee on international duty in September and then watched on as his comeback was delayed by a couple of weeks after being pencilled in for a return against Brighton & Hove Albion.
That did not come to pass for Wissa, but William Osula took to social media to post a picture of Wissa enjoying some post-training fun with his colleagues as he continues to settle in behind the scenes.
Howe had said last week: “We think he will be back during this period of games before the next international break.
"We don't know exactly when that will be, but we expect him to [be back soon], if he doesn't suffer any ill effects from anything he is doing."
Whether Wissa can shave off any time from his comeback and be involved against either Fulham or Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup remains to be seen.
Howe had also said on Wissa: "I think his knee has reacted pretty well to that work so far. So, it will be a case of trying to step him up gradually. In terms of a timeline."
The big concern for Wissa from the Newcastle fanbase is that he gets back to fitness just in time for DR Congo's African Cup of Nations tournament, which starts in December.
Club legend Alan Shearer had said: "It will be a really difficult decision for Wissa not to go to AFCON because you always want to represent your country.
"But what I would say is, because of him not training or playing during the summer, he could've shown more responsibility in not playing as much as he did in those two games when he went away on international duty and hadn't played at all."
Speaking on the club vs country row, Howe had said: "That’s a conversation and a topic I’m not going to get involved in.
"That’s not fair on Yoane. I haven’t seen Alan’s comments, but that’s one I’ll stay away from."