Yoane Wissa says he feels at home in Newcastle after his move and has no regrets not going to AFCON with Congo
It has been a strange start to life as a Newcastle United player for Yoane Wissa following his £55 million move from Brentford in the summer.
Before he'd even taken his first training session with his new club, Yoane Wissa picked up a bad injury on international duty with DR Congo, putting him out of action for around four months.
His return to club action coincided with the time African teams were finalising their team selections for the Africa Cup of Nations, with Newcastle fans getting anxious that their new striker would be heading home for a month to play in that competition after just a handful of appearances for his club.
However, Wissa opted not to go to the competition, instead focusing on his fitness and repaying Newcastle United for their patience.
Yoane Wissa feels he made the right call by not going to AFCON
Wissa had the full backing of the Congo manager, who feels he may be more useful in March when they play their playoff for potential World Cup qualification. The Toon's number 9 was asked by journalist Daniel Wales last night how he feels he's benefited by not going to the AFCON.
"I have been injured for such a long time. I spoke to the manager of Congo, and he said to be fit and just enjoy the moment because it's going to be difficult. I was okay with that because for me it was important to stay here, get fit, get minutes and especially enjoy with my teammates.
"In the end, I think I've done the right choice because I think I've put myself in the right place."
Wissa is a Geordie!
Wissa went on to tell Wales that he feels at home in Newcastle now, saying that he's always felt at home, but he needed time to adapt and get used to the new players, and now he feels really at home.
We're sure that his Player of the Match performance last night against PSV will have gone a long way to settling any lingering nerves after such a high-profile switch.
Last night was by far his best performance in a Newcastle shirt so far, and it feels like a good indication of what's to come when he's 100% match fit and fully integrated into how Eddie Howe wants the team to play.
