Newcastle United’s Yoane Wissa left out of DR Congo’s AFCON squad | OneFootball

Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa (29) will remain on Tyneside in January after being omitted from DR Congo’s squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, a decision that coincides with his imminent return from injury.

The 29-year-old, who joined Newcastle from Brentford in a £55m summer move, has yet to make his debut after suffering a knee injury while on international duty in September. But this week brought a significant step forward in his recovery, with Wissa returning to full training and impressing head coach Eddie Howe during his first sessions back with the squad.

Howe confirmed the striker is “close to being back involved,” while Sky Sports News’ North East reporter Keith Downie reported that Wissa’s “priority is on Newcastle,” a stance reflected in DR Congo’s decision to leave him out of their tournament squad.

Wissa’s availability through January will be a timely boost for Howe, who has navigated a demanding first half of the campaign with a stretched attacking group. Newcastle have lacked depth in forward positions at times, and the prospect of integrating a player of Wissa’s pace, directness and finishing ability will be welcome as the club push to climb the Premier League table.

While Howe has refused to set a precise date for Wissa’s first appearance, the mood around his recovery is increasingly upbeat. The striker’s focus, it seems, is fixed firmly on making his mark at St James’ Park.

GFN | Finn Entwistle