Newcastle to accelerate Yoane Wissa transfer plan as Brentford agree £42.5m deal for replacement | OneFootball

Yoane Wissa will not play for Brentford in their Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest

Newcastle will accelerate their pursuit of Yoane Wissa, with Brentford set to sign Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth.

Newcastle are weighing up a £35m bid for Wissa, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, and will now move to finalise a deal for the 28-year-old.

Wissa, who has made clear his desire to play Champions League football, has been left out of Brentford’s squad for their opening Premier League game of the season away to Nottingham Forest.

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews said in his pre-match press conference on Thursday that while he’d ideally want Wissa to stay, the Congolese forward was not in the right headspace to play against Forest.

“We’ve made a decision that he’s not [available],” Andrews said.

Replacement: Dango Ouattara

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Newcastle are in the market for a striker, with Alexander Isak on strike and angling for a move to Premier League champions Liverpool.

Isak has been left out of Newcastle’s squad for their opening Premier League game against Aston Villa.

The Swedish striker, who scored 23 Premier League goals last season, is adamant he wants to leave Newcastle and he is expected to be fined for every competitive match he misses while on strike.

Brentford had been keen not to lose Wissa after the departures of Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard this summer.

However, with a deal for Ouattara imminent, Brentford are more relaxed about letting Wissa leave the club.