Eddie Howe has revealed that Newcastle has a 'decision to make' about the future of Want -Away Alexander Isak – but says it should be for the best of the club.
Mail Sport revealed on Thursday that the striker told the hierarchy that he wants to leave this summer, with Liverpool preparing a British record offer.
Isak is not here with the team in Singapore – he reported a dijing injury on Monday – and after the comments from Howe in the team hotel on Saturday afternoon, it seems far from certain that he will still be in the club outside this transfer window.
When asked if he wanted a quick resolution, the Boss of Newcastle said: “I would not put a time schedule on it. I think it should be suitable for the football club with these situations, and everything is then taken in context below.
'But the club will make the right decision with all the information it has, and ultimately to help the club move forward in any way. Then it is up to us to make good decisions the other way and to improve the team as well as possible. That is what we try to do, regardless of Alex's situation.
“But I think there is a wider photo here. There is a whole football club that has to make the decision. The ownership, together with the board of directors, especially with the money involved in modern transfers. The manager of course has an opinion, but in the end the decision with the board will rest. '
Howe added: 'Of course things go behind the scenes (with Alex). He will be aware that he is in the news every day, and I am sure that this is not easy for anyone in that situation. Conversations that take place between Alex and the Club of Alex and I will remain private for obvious reasons. We share a really good relationship with him.
'He is beautiful for us and he is very popular in the dressing room. We want him to continue his journey in Newcastle. I hope he will stay. And I said (last weekend) I was convinced that he would stay. At the moment I don't see anything that the opinion of me is going to change, but it's football and who knows what the future can bring.
'Everything I would say about the wider photo is that everything that happens must be good for Newcastle. We are financially in a very strong position. We are determined to be successful. We are ambitious. We have a great season ahead. We have to add to the team and continue to improve, and the journey can continue in an upward route. '
Howe also revealed that there are no contract interviews with Isak.
“As far as I know, I don't think contract interviews are taking place at the moment,” he said. “That may be for a later date. I think that for now, with the situation as it is and the state of the window, in the sense that it touches very quickly towards the end of the window, from our perspective there is still so much that can happen. '
Of the injury situation of Isak, Howe said: 'I don't have a big update about that. He first mentioned his thigh just before the Celtic game. We assumed that it would be a very minimal injury, nothing too serious. And on the Monday after the Celtic game, he started training very early and did not feel good.
'So he is now in Newcastle who rates that injury and hopefully he will return soon and plays in the black and white shirt. That's what we all want to see. '