Newcastle United now exploring move to buy Yoane Wissa with Hugo Ekitike deal off – Report | OneFootball

Newcastle United have now made Yoane Wissa their priority striker signing.

That has been revealed (see below) on Thursday morning by the ever reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic.

Ornstein says that after ‘cooling their interest in Hugo Ekitike’, Newcastle United are instead now exploring a deal to buy Yoane Wissa.

The Brentford striker has been mentioned by the more credible NUFC journalists previously as a potential summer 2025 target and little wonder.

After scoring 12 Premier League goals in 2023/24 and getting three assists, making 29 PL starts.

Last season, Yoane Winna scored 19 PL goals and got four assists, having made 34 Premier League starts in 2024/25.

Those 19 goals were the most last season by a Premier League goalscorer who didn’t take penalties.

Yoane Wissa won the penalty (photo above) when Bryan Mbeumo scored in the 2-1 Newcastle win at St James’ Park in April 2025. Before that, Wissa scored in all three of the last three matches when Brentford faced Newcastle United, the 4-2 NUFC win at Brentford in May 2024, the 4-2 Brentford win in December 2024, plus the 3-1 Newcastle Carabao Cup win, also in December 2024.

Craig Hope from The Mail has also backed up what David Ornstein is saying, Hope stating this morning that; “The word on Tuesday night was that Hugo Ekitike and Newcastle United was very unlikely. Deal now off. As reported previously, Yoane Wissa is admired [by Newcastle United] and is a live target. Sources say NUFC will have to act with speed, given interest from elsewhere (Spurs incl.) and complication of Bryan Mbeumo.”

David Ornstein writing for The Athletic – 17 July 2025:

‘Newcastle United are exploring a deal to sign Brentford striker Yoane Wissa after cooling their interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.

The north-east club are yet to contact Brentford but that is expected soon, while an agreement would also be needed with the DR Congo international on personal terms.

Nottingham Forest recently saw an offer for Wissa rejected.

The 28-year-old was the Premier League’s highest non-penalty goalscorer last season, finding the net 19 times in 35 games.

His Brentford contract expires in June 2026, though they have an option to extend by 12 months.

Newcastle were prioritising a move for Ekitike but had an €80million (£69.3m; $92.8m) bid turned down and are not actively working on the situation at present. The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Liverpool had made contact with Frankfurt over a move for the 23-year-old.