It is the Saga that has dominated the summer so far, but what is the last about the future of Alexander Isak in Newcastle?
Newcastle has endured a hugely frustrating summer, missing a large number of transfer goals while he has to cope without Isak.
But what is the last about Isak?
Can he still leave the club before the transfer deadline? After he happened between him and Newcastle this summer, could he still stay in St James' park?
If he leaves, who could replace the Sweden striker? And could he appear against Aston Villa on Saturday in the season opener of Newcastle?
Sky Sports News' Keith Downie answers all the important Isak questions …
What are the chances that ISAK leaves Newcastle?
The longer this continues, the harder it will be for Liverpool to try to sign Alexander Isak, in terms of the amount of time needed to get such a monumental signing over the line.
The word since Liverpool first made their informal approach, it was that Newcastle is not selling Isak unless they have a replacement of the highest level ready to come in.
They tried to do that exactly with Benjamin Sesko last week only for him to choose Manchester United. However, I would like to propose that there must be a point where the situation becomes untenable.
If Isak is faithful to what is reported in athletics and he refuses to play for Newcastle again, even after the window is closed, Newcastle must decide the best way of acting with a deprivating property.
Eddie Howe has already said that the situation has had a negative effect on the rest of the team, and the club will have to decide whether they want it to get stuck after the window is closed.
With three weeks left from the window, Centrum-Forward options are thin on the floor. They were thin on the floor before the window even opened with Newcastle, but Sesko was a player they had scouted for a long time. A big decision must be made with potential seasonal consequences.
Why is it increasingly unlikely that Isak is leaving?
This is a large transfer with an eye strengthening of money. It is not the type of deal that can be pushed through in the last few days of the transfer window. Remember that Newcastle is looking for two strikers because they have already lost Callum Wilson.
Of course they are talking to Brentford about Yoane Wissa and they hope to sign him in the coming days, but there is a bit of a stalemate there. Even if they brought in Wissa, they would need another to let Isak leave.
Liverpool's opening bid was £ 110 million, which is also quite a distance from what Newcastle is looking. I would like to imagine that they should return with a significant increase for Newcastle to sit up and to notice.
Who is the potential Isak replacement?
I don't see Nicolas Jackson as a feasible alternative to Isak.
There was also something talking about Samu Aghehowa, the Porto striker, again he has a really high release clause and the sounds I hear is that you would be very unlikely at this stage again for a number of reasons.
So it is a fairly short shortlist and it feels like probably the best option for Newcastle at this stage to keep Isak and try to get him in the right state of mind to attack the season. But of course they should fully run his state of mind. They wonder that they should ask if they see Isak changing his position as soon as the window is closed. He is not the word, but do they believe that?
Bridges are burned with supporters, so it will be really interesting to see if Isak stays, how that is dynamic with not only Howe but also with the supporters takes place in the coming weeks and months.
It feels like Newcastle needs a fit and Isak fired given the lack of options, and Isak would also need Newcastle. What is it going to do for his career, was on the sidelines that refused to play? It is not a good look for him as an individual, or for potential employers. It can also not be good for his development as a player.
Is Isak still banned from the team?
Yes, he only trains in the afternoon as soon as the rest of the team has left.
The rest of the team has hardly seen him since they returned from their tour through Asia.
How has his training been? How fit is he?
He complained about a small dijing injury and it was the reason he missed the trip to Singapore and Korea, but Howe confirmed on Friday that he was fit and there is no injury.
How likely is he to submit a transfer request?
It feels like he did so well.
I would like to imagine that he will never play for the club again is even worse than setting a transfer search.
Despite what what said, is there a chance that he could still contain VS Villa?
No. I see no way he can travel and play on Saturday.
Howe said that if it were up to him, he would integrate him into the team yesterday, suggesting that the situation is outside of his control.