Newcastle invested the bulk of the proceeds from Alexander Isak’s controversial £130m summer switch to Liverpool in Woltemade and Wissa, but neither has made the starting line-up for the Magpies’ last two matches.
Club record £69m signing Woltemade has started 21 of Newcastle’s 33 Premier League games to date, but more recently in a midfield role, while £55m man Wissa, who suffered a knee injury on international duty before he had even kicked a ball for the club, has just four to his name, and neither has scored a league goal in 2026.
However, asked about the pair ahead of today’s game at Arsenal, Howe said: “They’re both outstanding players. I don’t in any way doubt their individual qualities. They’ll both be better for this season’s experience next season.
“Any signing we make, regardless of age, having a season where they fully understand everything, get used to the environment, used to their team-mates, the location that they’re living in, it’s a big change for the players.
“Next season we’ll see that all the new signings that we integrated this season will be much better for the experience.
“And, of course, then the intense focus shifts on to someone else we may have signed in the summer.
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“That’s a healthy thing for them as well because you just go slightly more relaxed, and when you’re more relaxed you play better. I believe in all those signings. They’ll come good.”
Howe accepts that both Woltemade and Wissa will be disappointed with their limited involvement in recent weeks.
However, he has challenged both players to prove their work on the training ground in the final month of the season.
He said: “I know they are both desperate to contribute and both desperate to give to the team and to do well and of course our intention bringing them to the football club was for that as well.
“For totally different reasons, I think it has been difficult for them, Yoane’s through his injury. There are signs, and he trained much better again this week, we are hopeful he is on an upward trajectory and he will play a part. I know there is limited time this season but hopefully he can show his worth for the future.
“For Nick, (it's) slightly different and of course it’s been difficult for our nines, our strikers, because I feel our strikers have performed in recent weeks and scored goals so, with the system I pick, I can only play one of them so that has been a challenge for Nick.
“Like with every player not playing they have to show their worth on the training ground and I think that’s their shop window. For me to pick them is how they train and how they commit to the training and how much they are prepared to put individual disappointment to the side for the team to then come back fighting again.
“It’s a gradual process, but I believe in both players still. I’ve got no issue with either of them. I think they’ve got unique qualities to offer the team, but it’s got to be on merit and deserved.”