(Credit: Getty/Imago)

Ciaran Morrison

Thu 16 October 2025 11:00, UK Updated Thu 16 October 2025 12:24, UK

Alan Shearer believes one Newcastle player may need to make a tough decision in the interests of the club.

The club endured a tough transfer window, but the Toon are beginning to find form following back-to-back wins before the international break.

Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 in the Premier League and Union SG 4-0 in the Champions League.

Off the pitch, Ross Wilson has joined Newcastle as Sporting Director from Nottingham Forest, in what is seen as a coup for the club.

Yoane Wissa must make ‘difficult’ AFCON decision

Summer arrival Yoane Wissa has struggled with injuries since joining Newcastle, leaving Howe light up-front and relying on fellow new recruit Nick Woltemade for goals.

Woltemade has scored four goals in his career at St James’ Park so far, helping Newcastle to wins over Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer, as per the Daily Mirror [16 October], believes Wissa, who forced a move out of Brentford in the summer, owes it to the club not to go away on international duty during the African Cup of Nations.

“It will be a really difficult decision for Wissa not to go to AFCON because you always want to represent your country,” Shearer said.

“But what I would say is, because of him not training or playing during the summer, he could’ve shown more responsibility in not playing as much as he did in those two games when he went away on international duty and hadn’t played at all.

“But it’s really tough to say to someone they can’t and won’t represent their country when it means so much. And we know AFCON is huge and players want to play in that tournament.

“It’ll be a tough ask, but I understand that there’ll be a lot of people thinking that he’s never played for Newcastle and he needs to show some loyalty towards us.

“I get it and understand that point-of-view because Newcastle shelled out a lot of money on him and he hasn’t been able to take to the St James’ Park turf as yet. It’d be a really tough decision for him and Newcastle. Whether there’s a way around it, I’m not so sure.”

Wissa hasn’t made his Newcastle debut and is expected to be out until November, and with AFCON starting in December, he could then be unavailable until late January.

Wissa could miss seven games in Newcastle blow

Wissa could miss up to seven Newcastle games, if his nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, make it to the final of AFCON.

In a congested fixture list, Howe would have to strategically manage the minutes of Woltemade carefully, with only William Osula as back-up.

Howe will hope that if Wissa does go to AFCON that he returns early, with three games in a week to start the new year.