Brentford’s Yoane Wissa price tag goes public after Newcastle’s £25m bid fails

With the first team squad jetting off to Asia on Friday, there’s still plenty of work to be done at home for Newcastle United this summer.

Anthony Elanga remains the only first team signing we’ve made so far this window, and time is slowly running out for us to bring more top targets to the club in time for the new season.

Yoane Wissa looks to be the next of said ‘top targets’, with the 28-year-old Brentford forward reportedly keen on the move and has even left their training camp in Portugal amidst the speculation over his future.

We now have a clearer idea of what it’ll take to bring Wissa to Tyneside this summer, and it won’t be cheap…

Brentford’s Wissa demands revealed?

According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, it will take upwards of £40m for the club to consider selling the Congolese forward.

Sky Sports have reported that a £30m bid is set to follow, with Craig Hope adding that there is confidence it would take that figure to strike a deal. But The Telegraph say otherwise.

This would mean that our initial bid of £25m earlier this week fell well below the Bees’ £40m+ valuation, and makes sense as to why it was so quickly rejected despite the player’s desire to leave.

Having already pocketed £71m from selling Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United, there’s very little reason for Brentford to sell either, especially as they have been picked apart by other clubs all summer long.

Turning 29 in September, and with less than a year left on his current deal (though a one year extension clause looks to be in place), there also isn’t long left for Brentford to sell the star for big money, and now could be their last opportunity.

Should Newcastle walk away from Wissa talks? We’ve made it repeatedly clear this summer that we will walk away from any deal where we feel like we’re being overcharged.

So for a player who’s both pushing 30 and very close to being a free agent next summer, we’d perhaps be right to stand our ground and push for a lower fee.

But it’s fast becoming the story of the summer: a financially healthy Newcastle refusing to spend big on players for Eddie Howe, and seeing their rivals swoop in with ease.

Missing out on Wissa here, particularly to a team like Spurs, would deal some considerable damage to fans’ faith in the recruitment team, and make it even more likely that Alexander Isak and Will Osula will be our only striker options come August.