Eddie Howe answers whether Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa are staying at Newcastle United next season
Newcastle United strikers Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have been linked with potential exits.
Eddie Howe believes Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa will remain Newcastle United players next season.
The Magpies spent a combined £119million on the two strikers last summer, but neither of their respective debut campaigns has gone to plan.
Woltemade, who joined for a club-record £64m from Stuttgart, hasn’t scored a Premier League goal since December and, after a period of playing in midfield, has found himself on the bench in the last four games.
Wissa, meanwhile, has also joined the German international on the bench. The DR Congo international last started a game in February - a 3-2 defeat to former club Brentford - having struggled for match fitness and sharpness.
The 29-year-old picked up a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury just days after arriving from Brentford for £55million and since making his delayed debut in December has managed just three goals in 25 appearances.
Will Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa still be at Newcastle United next season?
As a result, speculation has surrounded the pair’s futures in recent weeks.
It’s been suggested that the Magpies are willing to cut their losses with Wissa, while reports in Germany this week have claimed Woltemade is unhappy with his game time but won’t make a decision on his future until after the World Cup.
In response, Howe said he wants both players to stay but couldn’t give ‘absolute certainty’.
Howe told NewcastleWorld: “Yeah, I do. It's difficult for me to give absolute certainty to that because the players themselves will have a big say in that as well. But my wish is that they are both here.
“I really think they've got outstanding qualities. I think they can make a difference. They're very different players, of course, I wouldn't compare them, but I think they can really help the team.
Howe added: “I'd say the same. Again, consistently all season, I think for a lot of the new players, I think their best performances are ahead of them. I think they're all very, very good players.
“You just need a little bit of time, patience, work on the training pitch, and of course then the players have to deliver, but I'm confident they're all outstanding players.”