Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has admitted he does not know if Alexander Isak will still be a Magpies player by the end of this transfer window.
The £150 million-rated Swedish striker has been left out of Howe’s squad as Liverpool continue to push for his signature.
Speaking after Newcastle’s 2-0 pre-season defeat to Atletico Madrid on Saturday, Howe said:
“The club will make a decision on his future, and I do not know what that will be. Of course, I have a preferred outcome, but I also want players who really want to play for this football club. If it was that easy, I’d be doing it. And I’d have done it yesterday.”
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Liverpool have already had a £110 million bid for Isak turned down. Reports had claimed that Newcastle would refuse to sell him no matter what, but Howe dismissed those claims.
“Discussions are going on all the time, but I am unaware of that,” Howe explained.
So far, Liverpool have not made a second bid, but the uncertainty continues to grow at St James’ Park.
The Magpies are yet to win a match in pre-season. Their latest loss came against Atletico Madrid, with Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann scoring in the second half.
Without Isak, Newcastle have looked short of attacking threat. Howe admitted this was a problem:
“That would be a fair assessment, but we can still win football matches.”
When the match kicked off, St James’ Park was full, and there was no open hostility towards Isak. But by the end of the game, the silence inside the stadium spoke volumes.
Last season, Newcastle did not win a single Premier League match without Isak on the pitch. His absence now raises big questions ahead of their season opener against Aston Villa next Saturday.
The only slight positive for Howe was the update on Anthony Gordon. The forward went off with an ankle injury against Atletico, but the damage is not as bad as feared. He is expected to be available for the Aston Villa match.
During the Atletico game, Kieran Trippier almost gave Newcastle the lead with a curling free-kick, but goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a brilliant save.
Joelinton also had three chances to score, two went wide, and the other was straight at Oblak. Without Isak, those missed opportunities became even more frustrating for the home crowd.
Howe’s public admission that he doesn’t know what will happen with Isak is rare in modern football, where managers usually try to keep such matters private.
It shows the scale of uncertainty at Newcastle right now. While Howe clearly wants to keep his star striker, he is also making it clear that he only wants players who are 100% committed to the club.
With less than a month left in the transfer window, the situation could go in any direction. If Liverpool come back with an improved offer, Newcastle’s resolve will be tested.
For now, Howe and his players must prepare for the Premier League without knowing whether their main goal scorer will be with them.
One thing is certain, if Isak leaves, Newcastle will need to find a replacement quickly. Without him, their chances of repeating last season’s top-four finish could be in danger.
