Former Newcastle United manager Chris Hughton has discussed Yoane Wissa's struggles.

Yoane Wissa’s deeply disappointing first season as a Newcastle United player has provoked debate over what should lie ahead for the former Brentford star.

The DR Congo forward was a big money signing when he moved to Tyneside last summer and he was expected to fill some of the void left behind by Alexander Isak’s British club record transfer to Premier League rivals Liverpool. After picking up an injury on international duty before he had a chance to make his Magpies debut, Wissa had to wait until early December to make his debut as he came off the bench to replace replace fellow summer signing Nick Woltemade during the final 15 minutes of a narrow home win against Burnley.

A first Magpies goal arrived just over a week later when he netted in a Carabao Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur before he opened his Premier League tally by finding the net in another win against Burnley just under a month after the first meeting of the two sides. However, those strikes and an effort in a Champions League win against PSV Eindhoven in January remain the only three goals Wissa has scored in 24 appearances in all competitions.

There have been suggestions the striker could move on at a substantial loss during the upcoming transfer window after the Magpies paid around £55m to secure his services last summer - but former United manager Chris Hughton believes Wissa has struggled due to the injury he suffered within days of his arrival on Tyneside.

“I think it’s just rhythm with him,” he told talkSPORT. “He was injured at the start of the season, he hasn’t been a consistent member of the team, he hasn’t been a consistent starter. So I just think he hasn’t been able to get into that rhythm this season. I don’t think you can take away from him how good he was last season in that team so I think it’s just about adjusting, not being a regular member of the team. At the time, when he went, I thought it was a really good buy for Newcastle and I thought he would play a major part.”

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