Newcastle United issue Yoane Wissa training ground statement ahead of Bournemouth
Yoane Wissa has looked good in training as Newcastle United prepare to host AFC Bournemouth.
There have been encouraging signs from Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa in training this week.
That’s according to head coach Eddie Howe, who says it is the best Wissa has looked since joining from Brentford last summer for £55million.
In Howe’s own words, Wissa has endured a “very difficult season”. He last started a Premier League game on February 7, which happened to be a 3-2 defeat against his former club.
A week after completing his big-money transfer to St James’ Park, the 29-year-old suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury on international duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Magpies paid over the odds for Wissa, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, in the hope he could hit the ground running immediately, but the injury meant it wasn’t until December that he made his debut.
In 23 appearances, Wissa has managed just three goals and, in recent months, watched Howe turn to Anthony Gordon - a recognised winger - and Will Osula ahead of him up front.
Eddie Howe ‘pleased’ with Yoane Wissa progress
Newcastle’s relentless fixture schedule prior to the recent international break limited the amount of training time. But now with a full week to prepare for each of the remaining six matches, Howe believes Wissa is already benefiting.
Howe said: “He's had a very difficult season and I think the most difficult part for Yoane has been that he got back fit and of course, there was a huge feeling inside of him he wanted to rush back and show everybody how good he is and then we haven't been able to train him in the way that we would normally train him.
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“It's very small groups, game every two or three days, very stop-start for him. He was never able to get a rhythm. I have to say we've probably seen the best of him in his time at Newcastle this week. I've been pleased with how he's looked physically.
“I still feel there's loads more to come. I feel a pre-season would definitely help him. I think you could see a totally different player with a really sustained period where he's able to do what he needs to do.
“He's been trying, he's been really wanting to make the difference, but I think there's been physical things that have just kept him back from doing that.
“No injury, but as I say, it's just the time that he's had on the pitch and the time he's had in training to get his body right up to full speed. So I think the best is yet to come.”
Could Yoane Wissa start against Bournemouth?
Wissa will be hoping his training performance puts him in contention to start against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
Osula started and scored in the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend so will feel he has done enough to keep his place, while £64million club-record signing Nick Woltemade is also waiting patiently for an opportunity up top having played in midfield in recent months.