After missing out on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool, Newcastle United are desperately assessing their options in a bid to improve their firepower.
Toon supporters can perhaps rest easy knowing Alexander Isak is likely to stay at St James’ Park but without competent backup – William Osula is still young – they know recruits are needed.
Since that move for Ekitike fell through, the Magpies have reportedly cast their eyes upon the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Julian Alvarez. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also reportedly an option.
Newcastle's Ekitike alternative
Forgetting those names, Newcastle United are also exploring a deal for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, with the 28-year-old emerging as a serious option after the club missed out on top target Ekitike.
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According to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, the Magpies are feeling that a “deal should get done” for Wissa, in spite of having a £25m bid rejected.
Downie reveals that the Toon are set to return with a £30m bid plus add-ons for the centre-forward.
With interest growing from Tottenham and Nottingham Forest as well, Newcastle are weighing their options carefully.
A previous price tag of £50m had been set by Brentford, and that is seen as negotiable by interested parties. Personal terms are not expected to be a stumbling block.
BBC Sport reported that Wissa is keen on a new challenge and eager to play European football, a prospect that may sway him towards St. James’ Park.
Brentford, meanwhile, are being picked apart, and Wissa could be next out the door.
Manager Thomas Frank has left, replaced by set-piece coach Keith Andrews, along with key players such as Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard, and Mark Flekken.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is urging patience in the transfer market, stating the club must invest in “the right players” rather than rushing big-money deals.
However, Wissa’s Premier League pedigree, versatility, and recent form make him a standout candidate.
Why Yoane Wissa would be a good signing for Newcastle
After Ivan Toney’s move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli last summer, Wissa stepped up as one of Brentford’s main attacking threats.
Only Mohamed Salah scored more non-penalty goals in the Premier League last season, as Wissa found the net 20 times and added four assists.
Over four seasons at Brentford, Wissa has netted 49 goals in 149 appearances – a consistent return for a player who cost just £8.5m from Lorient.
Among his positional peers – Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak, Liam Delap, Dominic Solanke, and João Pedro – Wissa stands out in several areas.
Data from FBref shows that he has more shot-creating actions per 90 than Solanke, more touches than Pedro or Delap (34.1), and a greater pass completion rate than Isak and Haaland.
His minutes played (3,072) were second only to Isak, demonstrating not only quality but reliability and rubberstamping why European football expert, Zach Lowy, thinks he’s had a “remarkable rise.”
As a result, the potential signing of Yoane Wissa has drawn comparisons with former Magpies fan favourite Demba Ba.
The Senegalese forward, who arrived from West Ham in 2011, became a cult hero at St. James’ Park after firing 16 goals in the 2011/12 season, forming a lethal partnership with Papiss Cissé and helping Newcastle to a fifth-place finish.
Like Ba, Wissa would arrive from a fellow Premier League club and is known for his instinctive movement, sharp poaching instincts, and ruthless eye for goal.
The same data from FBref shows that while Ba scored 16 and assisted twice in 2,721 minutes during his most prolific Premier League campaign, Wissa bettered those numbers last season, scoring 20 goals and notching 4 assists in 3,072 minutes.
Ba averaged 1.39 shots on target per 90 in that 2011/12 season, while Wissa registered 1.26 per 90 in 2024/25, slightly lower, but still consistent with the profile of a reliable finisher.
Importantly, Wissa also outperformed his xG, underlining his sharpness in front of goal.
However, there are some caveats.
At 28, Wissa doesn’t fit Newcastle’s preferred age profile of 24 and under, and he may miss part of the 2025/26 season due to AFCON duties with DR Congo.
Still, for a club that needs ready-made depth up front and a player who knows how to find the net, Wissa ticks plenty of boxes.
Given the departure of Callum Wilson and other targets like Calvert-Lewin being considered, Wissa presents a compelling blend of Premier League experience, positional intelligence, and proven end product.
If Newcastle can negotiate the fee down, Wissa could well become the Magpies’ new Ba – an underrated Premier League poacher with the potential to light up St. James’ Park.
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