Yoane Wissa has been out of action since his £55m move from Brentford in the summer
Yoanne Wissa
(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Image)
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Yonae Wissa is going to extraordinary lengths - literally - to get fit for Newcastle United as he steps up his comeback from injury.
The £55million striker joined the Magpies from Brentford on 1st September but suffered a knee injury almost immediately whilst on international duty with DR Congo.
The striker has been gradually working his way back to fitness. The 29-year-old did not need surgery on his knee injury, with it being a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) rather than an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
However, while he has been undergoing a strict regime under the watchful eye of the United medical staff he has also been spotted attending public swimming sessions at his local pool in a desperate bid to regain full fitness.
Wissa has been turning up for public swimming sessions at Jesmond Pool in Newcastle. He takes his place in the public lanes alongside club veterans, pensioners and students as he steadily builds up his fitness ahead of a return to top-flight action.
"He maybe likes it as there is no chlorine used and it handy for him," one local swimmer joked to the Mirror. "But it was still a surprise to see Newcastle United's star striker in the slow lane."
Sources at the club say Wissa is undertaking the training 'off his own bat' and it does not form part of a scheduled programme.
"He is doing all of this in his free time," said a source. "There are hydro facilities at the training ground so he can get into the water there. So this is about using his own free time to get in shape."
Wissa attended his most recent Jesmond session alongside Toon centre-back Malik Thiaw. The striker has remained on Tyneside while Thiaw and other teammates have jetted off on international duty with their respective countries.
DR Congo have already qualified for the African Cup on Nations which runs from the middle of December through to the end of January. It hasn't been decided yet whether Wissa will go to the tournament.
If he does, and DR Congo go deep into the latter stages, he could miss up to another seven games for Newcastle.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe has admitted it remains unclear when the striker will be able to make his debut for the club.
He said: "He's working very hard, he's on the grass, he's getting the fitness work in that he needs. I'd say he's not close to training with the group at the moment, not through injury but through fitness and making sure we build his robustness.
"I'm not trying to be evasive. I don't know when the moment will be when he's back with the squad."
Newcastle play Manchester City a week on Saturday (November 22) with a 5.30pm kick off in the first game back after the international fortnight. Wissa's return would be a welcome boost, while Joelinton's injury - which forced him off against Brentford - is not believed to be serious.