Yoane Wissa remains sidelined for Newcastle's trip to Brentford

The 29-year-old forward, who joined Newcastle from Brentford on transfer deadline day for a fee of around 55 million pounds, is still recovering from a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) knee injury sustained during DR Congo's 2026 World Cup qualifier against Senegal on September 9. He has not played a competitive minute since that setback.

Hopes of Wissa returning against his former club have faded after the DR Congo football federation announced their 25-man squad for the upcoming World Cup play-off semi-final against Cameroon on November 13 in Rabat, with the Newcastle striker absent from the list.

Eddie Howe had initially been optimistic about a pre-international break return, but the manager has since admitted that Wissa is still some way off full fitness.

"It's definitely not West Ham," Howe told reporters last week before Newcastle's 1-0 win at the London Stadium. "He's working very hard, he's on the grass, and he's getting the fitness work in that he needs. I'd say he's not close to training with the group at the moment, not through injury but through fitness and making sure we build his robustness.

"I don't know when the moment will be when he's back with the squad."

Howe also cautioned that Newcastle will need to ease Wissa back gradually to avoid any further setbacks.

"I think if you look at Yoane's situation, he will need almost a pre-season," Howe explained. "We usually give players six weeks in pre-season so they can build up and play in various games before they're ready to perform. I'm not saying he won't play for six weeks, but to get to his very best level, it will probably take that time.

"First, we need to get him fully 100% fit before we can really push him."

Newcastle travel to Brentford this Sunday still battling a lengthy injury list, and Howe is expected to give another update on Wissa's progress when he addresses the media ahead of the match.