Eddie Howe says that Alexander Isak will determine whether he plays for the transfer deadline for Newcastle and confirms the self -imposed exile of the striker.
Daily Mail Sport revealed on Friday that the Swede strike was and refused to train with the team while trying to force a move to Liverpool.
Isak will miss the Premier League opener on Saturday at Aston Villa – his absence will be a club fine – and there seems to be no chance that he will be against Liverpool or Leeds before the month is off, although Howe wants him to play.
The head coach was asked on Friday if the 25-year-old could return to the team in August.
'While I'm here now, I don't know. Alex will control that, “said Howe. “The situation of Alex has been unchanged for a while and that will remain the case, I think.”
Does Howe want him to play?
“Of course I often said that I want him to train and play,” said Newcastle's boss. “I have had those conversations with him, but the details of these conversations must remain private.”
Howe added: 'The (only training) is not something you ever want to see. You want to see him with the team, you want to see him happy and enjoy his football. He is contracted to us. He is here, so for me that is an unfortunate situation. '
Howe is open to re -integrating Isak into the team – before or after the transfer of deadline – but he knows about the player's wish to move to Anfield.
“All options and potential scenarios are open and available for Alex, I don't think a door is closed,” he said. “Ultimately, it will depend on him and what happens in his situation. He will dictate that to a certain extent and we will facilitate that – and of course try to get the best results for us and Newcastle. '
However, Howe still believes that there is far back for Isak in Newcastle.
“Yes, I believe that is,” he said. 'But of course there should be discussions and conversations to make that happen. But that is for another day. Today is Aston Villa and ensuring that we perform as well as possible. '
Newcastle hopes to close a deal for the Yoane Wissa van Brentford next week, but this summer has not landed for Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko. If one of them came in, it is probably that Isak would be on their way to Liverpool.
The Magpies no longer have any options when it comes to finding a replacement for Isak, and Howe was asked if he could deal with a scenario where it was a new signing plus Anthony Gordon as his striking options until January.
“I go with any hand that I have treated, that has always been my way of thinking,” he said. 'I don't want to apologize or seek apologies, because that spreads through the team. The ideal would be that we sign a striker. We need one, regardless of what happens with Alex's situation. With the amount of games we need, and that is what we are trying to do. '
Howe also wanted to emphasize that the rise of Isak was created because of the support of everything in Newcastle.
“Me and Alex enjoyed a great relationship and I don't think he would have done as well as he did without it, and without his teammates and the supporters and the support of the entire football club,” said Howe.
“He recognizes that too. He is a very intelligent person and he knows that he would not have the success here without everyone being connected to Newcastle.
'I think Alex would be the first person to acknowledge that he never gave any indication that he did this alone, his career development.
'The team has to work for every center forward to score. He is the first to admit that his love for his teammates and the style of playing helped him enormously. There is certainly no problem on that side.
“This is another moment for him and us and we work that together.”