Newcastle Interested in Brentford's Yoane Wissa and Hugo Ekitike

Newcastle United are considering a deal to sign Brentford striker Yoane Wissa after shifting their focus from Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.

The club from the north-east has not yet contacted Brentford but is expected to do so soon. An agreement with the DR Congo international on personal terms would also be necessary.

Nottingham Forest recently had an offer for Wissa turned down. Last season, the 28-year-old was the top non-penalty goal scorer in the Premier League, scoring 19 goals in 35 games.

Wissa's contract with Brentford runs until June 2026, with an option to extend for another 12 months.

Newcastle had initially targeted Ekitike but had an €80 million bid rejected. They are currently not actively pursuing this deal. Reports suggest Liverpool has shown interest in the 23-year-old from Frankfurt.

Wissa is a key alternative target for Newcastle, but Brentford's willingness to sell and the potential asking price may be influenced by the situation of his teammate Bryan Mbeumo, who is a target for Manchester United.

If Wissa leaves, it would contribute to significant changes at Brentford, where Thomas Frank, who helped develop Wissa into a top forward, has moved to Tottenham Hotspur along with three staff members. Captain Christian Norgaard has joined Arsenal, and Keith Andrews has been appointed as Frank's replacement.

David Ornstein is a Football Correspondent at The Athletic, having joined in 2019 after a career at the BBC. He produces exclusive stories and interviews, providing unique insights and analysis across various media platforms. Follow David on Twitter @David_Ornstein