David Ornstein: Brentford turn down latest offer from Newcastle for Yoane Wissa

Newcastle United have seen an improved bid for forward Yoane Wissa rejected by Brentford.

The proposal was worth £35million plus £5m in difficult-to-achieve add-ons but turned down.

Brentford sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to discuss the situation, have stressed that the club have not provided a target price to any team.

Wissa wants the move to St James’s Park.

The Athletic reported on July 22 that Brentford rejected a £25m proposal from Newcastle for the 28-year-old, who scored 19 Premier League goals in the 2024-25 season.

Nottingham Forest also had a bid rejected for the DR Congo international in July, having previously had an approach rebuffed in January.

Wissa returned from Brentford’s pre-season training camp in Portugal to hold face-to-face talks over his future with the Brentford hierarchy.

He did not play in pre-season and was absent from the squad for their opening fixture of the Premier League campaign against Nottingham Forest, which ended in a 3-1 defeat.

Newcastle turned their attentions to Wissa after cooling their interest in Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who eventually joined Liverpool. Newcastle have missed out on several striker targets this summer in addition to Ekitike, including Joao Pedro, Liam Delap (both Chelsea) and Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United).

Their pursuit of a front man comes amid Alexander Isak’s desire to leave, with the Sweden international saying on social media on Tuesday that his relationship with the club “can’t continue.”

Wissa, who joined Brentford from French side Lorient in 2021, has another year on his contract, and the Premier League club hold an option to extend his terms for a further 12 months.

Brentford have had a summer of major change, with head coach Thomas Frank departing the club to join Tottenham Hotspur alongside three members of his backroom coaching staff. Meanwhile, captain Christian Norgaard joined Arsenal and 20-goal forward Bryan Mbeumo completed a transfer to Manchester United. Mbeumo and Wissa scored 39 of Brentford’s 66 goals in the top-flight last season.

Wissa has recorded 49 goals and 13 assists in 149 appearances for Brentford.