Yoane Wissa will not play in Brentford’s Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with his transfer to Newcastle United moving closer to completion.
Head coach Keith Andrews confirmed the 28-year-old forward has been training alone this week as talks continue over a deal believed to be worth around £40 million.
Newcastle saw an offer worth up to £30m rejected last month, but remain in negotiations to bring in last season’s 19-goal striker, with the forward’s mindset locked into a move to Tyneside sooner rather than later.
“It has been a very disrupted pre-season — I think you’re aware of that interest in Yoane,” Andrews said. “As a head coach, I want Yoane in the building, to be a part of the first team. I see that moving forwards but I am very understanding of his situation. For Sunday, he won’t be involved.”
Wissa has made it clear he wants to leave Brentford, having also been the subject of a failed bid from Nottingham Forest in January.
His impending exit comes as the Bees agreed a fee on Thursday for Bournemouth winger Dango Ouattara, whose £42m move will set a new club transfer record while providing Wissa’s replacement.
Ouattara has been granted a move after telling Bournemouth he wanted the switch, with the Cherries now pursuing Bayer Leverkusen’s Amine Adli as a replacement, and unlocking the arrival of Wissa at Newcastle.
The completion of Wissa’s transfer is expected to play a role in Newcastle’s ongoing striker plans, particularly as the club face uncertainty over Alexander Isak’s future, planning for both his exit and the arrival of, optimally, another striker to bolster the rotation with Will Osula the only other No. 9 in the first-team squad for next season.