Alan Shearer urges Yoane Wissa to show loyalty to Newcastle by skipping AFCON

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has advised new signing Yoane Wissa to prioritise his club over country by skipping the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco later this year.

The 2025 AFCON, which runs from December 21 to January 18, is expected to disrupt several Premier League squads, with many clubs set to lose key players to international duty.

Among them is Newcastle’s £55 million summer signing, Wissa, who represents the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Wissa, 29, joined Newcastle from Brentford but is yet to make his debut after suffering a knee injury while on international duty in September.

He also missed much of pre-season and has not yet trained with Eddie Howe’s squad, raising questions about his readiness for competitive action before the tournament.

Speaking to Betfair, Shearer admitted the forward faces a “really difficult decision” but urged him to show “responsibility” and commitment to his new club.

“It will be a really difficult decision for Wissa not to go to AFCON because you always want to represent your country,” Shearer said.

“But because of him not training or playing during the summer, he could’ve shown more responsibility in not playing as much as he did in those two games when he went away on international duty and hadn’t played at all.”

The former England captain acknowledged the emotional weight of representing one’s nation but also highlighted the loyalty Newcastle fans expect from their record signing.

“It’s really tough to say to someone they can’t and won’t represent their country when it means so much,” Shearer continued.

“But there’ll be a lot of people thinking that he’s never played for Newcastle, and he needs to show some loyalty towards us. It’d be a really tough decision for him and Newcastle.”

Wissa, who reportedly earns £140,000 a week, has been seen as a key attacking addition to support Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.

However, his prolonged absence and the looming AFCON have frustrated fans eager to see him justify his price tag.

With the DR Congo expected to be one of the dark horses in Morocco, Wissa’s decision could place him at the centre of a delicate club-versus-country dilemma — one that Shearer believes will test both his loyalty and his long-term commitment to Newcastle.