Yoane Wissa completes £55m move to Newcastle after surviving 2021 acid attack

Yoane Wissa has completed a protracted £55 million move from Brentford to Newcastle United, the club announced, bringing in a 29-year-old forward who survived a 2021 acid attack that almost ended his career.

Wissa could make his Newcastle debut against Wolves on Saturday and is also in contention to feature in Newcastle's Champions League fixture against Barcelona next week, following the high-profile transfer that ended a summer-long pursuit.

The attacker was assaulted at his home in July 2021, a month before his move from Lorient to Brentford, when acid was thrown in his face. A woman was later convicted of the attack and of attempting to kidnap his daughter and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Wissa received hospital treatment and narrowly avoided losing his sight.

Former Lorient manager Christophe Pelissier visited Wissa in hospital and said the player "quickly showed his determination to succeed. What struck me about him was his strong will and how he never gave up." Pierre-Yves Hamel, who played alongside Wissa at Lorient, said the forward "never complained" after the assault and that "once Yoane has an idea in mind, he will do his utmost to make it happen — no matter how long it takes."

Wissa's rise has been swift. In 2019 he was playing before crowds of fewer than 3,000 at Chambly in the French second division. He joined Brentford from Lorient in 2021 and, according to reports, finished last season with 19 non-penalty goals — more than any other Premier League player — a record that helped persuade Newcastle to pursue him.

Newcastle's head coach Eddie Howe and recruitment team identified players who were motivated to join the club, particularly after other striker targets moved elsewhere. The decision to return with three bids on deadline day and sign a 29-year-old marks a notable change for Newcastle, who had not signed an outfield player older than 25 since Howe's first summer in charge in 2022.

The transfer also attracted scrutiny from Brentford supporters and the wider fanbase. Wissa removed Brentford references from his Instagram account during the summer transfer window and publicly urged Brentford to "keep their word," accusing the club of "unduly standing in my way" as he pushed to move. Ian Westbrook, the Brentford fan writer for BBC Sport, said supporters were "not vindictive" toward players who left properly but added, "His legacy has been soured," reflecting frustration among some fans over the manner of his exit.

Brentford's director of football, Phil Giles, sought to separate Wissa's contribution to the club from the circumstances of his departure, calling him "an infectious character" he had liked a lot. In an interview with Newcastle's in-house media, Wissa said the process had been handled respectfully on his part: "it was always respectful with all of them so that's why I kept myself fit, training, going to see the guys, being around every single day and just waiting for the right moment to move."

Newcastle will look to Wissa, the club's new number nine, alongside record signing Nick Woltemade, to help replace the goals of the club's previous top scorer. Alexander Isak, the club's leading scorer last season, departed in the summer, leaving Newcastle with a need for additional attacking options.

Former team-mate Julien Laporte said he was proud to have played with Wissa and suggested the forward's career "is not finished," pointing to further potential as he joins a club with Champions League ambitions. Newcastle's decision to invest heavily in Wissa underscores both the club's immediate attacking needs and a willingness to alter its recruitment approach to secure players seen as determined to join.