Eddie Howe says that he wants Alexander Isak to play for Newcastle when the Premier League season starts next weekend, but after conversations with the striker it is clear that that cannot happen.
The Swede is currently trying to force a move to Liverpool and only trains. He missed the recent Tour Far East after reporting a dijing injury.
Howe says that Isak is fit, but there is no chance that he will be back on his teammates at training or on Aston Villa next Saturday, as it looks.
“We have had discussions and it is clear that we cannot involve him in the group,” said Howe. “I don't know how long that will be. Discussions between us must remain private, but it is clear that I cannot involve him at the moment with the team.
“I want Alex to play today. I want him to train tomorrow. We would like the player to be with us, let me make that absolutely clear.
'There is no part of me that that result does not want. But I don't see the current situation changing for Aston Villa. It is frustrating that we miss such an important part of our team. '
Liverpool is waiting for Newcastle to sign a striker before he returned with an improved offer, after their opening of £ 110 million bid was rejected last week. Howe was asked if Isak had a future in St James' Park.
“He is here, so of course he has a future in Newcastle,” said the head coach, who spoke for the first time since he returned from South Korea and Singapore.
'Certainly, from our persecuted, everyone who is connected to the club, we would like to see him again with the team, but the situation must be good to make that happen.
“He is here and he has contracted us, so as long as he is in that position, there is of course a chance that he could play for Newcastle again. But I don't know what the future will entail. '
Howe said that Isak was not disciplined by the club, but confirmed that he was not training with the team.
“He trains later than the rest of the team,” he added. 'There have been discussions since the Tour and everything that happened in between. But in terms of disciplinary measures, I don't think that happened. '
Can the club tell him that he should stay?
“It's not that simple, otherwise we would have done that a long time ago,” said Howe. “I don't think we are able to do that at the moment.”
And of the dijing injury, Howe said: 'He doesn't play because of a fitness problem. His dijing injury has been restored. He has no fitness problems. '