Newcastle United players arrive ahead of Champions League tie v Athletic Club
Yoane Wissa is yet to make his Newcastle United after joining from Brentford for £55million.
The Magpies head to the Gtech Community Stadium eyeing a first Premier League away win since April.
Eddie Howe’s side recorded a third straight Champions League win by beating Athletic Club 2-0 on Wednesday night but are struggling in the Premier League, sitting 13th in the table after 10 matches.
NUFC striker Yoane Wissa ruled out v former club Brentford
£69million club-record signing Nick Woltemade is set to make his 10th consecutive start with Will Osula nursing an ankle problem and Wissa sidelined with a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury.
Wissa joined United from Brentford for £55m on September 1 but is yet to make his debut after sustaining his injury on international duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The 29-year-old played two games in four days for his country, despite not featuring for the Bees either in pre-season or during the opening month of the Premier League season.
Brentford boss Keith Andrews comments on Yoane Wissa’s situation
Following an approach from Newcastle at the beginning of the summer, Wissa initially refused to train before Brentford boss Keith Andrews opted against selecting him, whilst speculation surrounded his future.
Wissa eventually got his dream move to Newcastle on deadline day but his actions didn’t go down well with Brentford supporters. Andrews, however, insists he has no bad blood towards Wissa.
Andrews said: “Wissa is a very good player, so I’m not too displeased he is not going to be available - that’s just the nature of competing against teams. He obviously hasn’t featured yet for them.
“I said around the transfer window, I was glad when it was closed. It wasn’t enjoyable for a lot of people, I would imagine.
“The nature of that deal, in particular, there was a lot made about certain aspects of it. Ultimately, they paid a really good fee for a player of a certain age – a very good player, but I think as a club we did pretty well out of that.
“That’s not just in hindsight, but that’s the way we work. We are a very sustainable football club. Wissa has obviously gone to Newcastle and I wish him well after Sunday.
“I don’t wish ill on him at all. I’m not glad to see the way that’s gone, I’m really not, I’m not wired like that. I’ve said previously that I had a really good relationship with Wis last season and the role I was in, the transfer window was difficult, there’s no getting away from that.
“But like every walk of life, when someone leaves a role or leaves a football club, people step up and I think we’ve seen that naturally in the squad. Other players have stepped into the football boots of players that has left and that’s just the nature of football and this football club.”
Yoane Wissa’s Newcastle United return date
Wissa will miss the Brentford game and DR Congo’s World Cup play-off match against Cameroon next week.
The striker is back on the grass at Newcastle’s Benton training ground and building up his fitness with a view to being involved against Manchester City after the international break.
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