Alexander Isak was omitted from the Newcastle United Squad for their pre-season friendly defeat against Celtic on Saturday, with speculation around his future and a possible transfer that continued
Alexander Isak may have missed part of the preparation of Newcastle United as a result of speculation of the transfer, but the Swedish attacker now seems on board a flight this week. Eddie Howe confirmed that the striker had been omitted from the team that lost to Celtic.
However, this week he will come to the team in the Far East, which clarifies the club's position that Isak is still not for sale. The Premier League Hitman has been interested in a lot of interest after his 27-target season for the Magpies, with Liverpool one of the clubs that is said to spend £ 120 million to protect his services.
However, Liverpool is now about to sign Hugo Ekitike – who had focused Newcastle himself – in a deal worth a maximum of £ 79 million from Eintracht Frankfurt, which doubt their pursuit of Isak.
In the meantime, Howe confirmed to BBC Radio Newcastle that Isak would join the team for their pre-season tour through the Far East, making them completely clear that they expect the striker to stay in St James Park this season.
“Yes, absolutely. He is part of our team,” said Howe prior to Sunday's collision with Arsenal in Singapore. “At the moment I expect it to come.
'I would never give a guarantee about anyone [staying] Because I have been to football long enough to know that I could look crazy. But everyone's desire to keep him is as strong as it could be. Fingers crossed that will happen to us.
“We love him as a player and a person and want him to stay – and that is exactly by the club. He is an excellent talent and a player we cherish. I think that speculation of a player is not easy to deal with, and not easy to understand, when you call and messages from players and people who ask you, all kinds of questions.
“The media are now so strong and the media message is going wide and sides. I don't think it's easy for a player to be under that control and that is partly – 10 percent – of the reason he was there today. I just want him to concentrate in himself and his training and is ready for next week.”
Howe stated that he left Isak from the team that was confronted with Celtic on Saturday because of the continuous transfer speculation. Post-match speaking, he said: “It was purely the last thing Alex wants if he doesn't play, is in the stands.
“Because I am under that investigation, I don't think that is fair for the player. If he did not play today, what we agreed with it, it would have been agreed that he needs a little more training time, then it is best that he is not here. I chose him to send him home.
“It was my decision. He traveled with us back to Glasgow, but I decided to send him home because of the speculation around him. [Joelinton and Isak] His fit but not ready to play. Alex has trained and is fine, but we did not want to take the risk with him.
“Yes, I have had discussions with him, but that is not abnormal. I respect the career of a player and how short it is. Alex has been really good, he is really well trained and I realize that there will be noise around him.”
The 47-year-old confirmed that there had been “no formal approach” for Isak, adding that the club hopes to retain the lead for the near future. How did it added: “I think it is difficult for me to give 100% clarity to every player. I would never sit here and do that because it is football and you never know what can happen. I can only say that Alex is happy with Newcastle. He loves the players with whom he plays, the staff, the team.
“I have never had a problem with him, except that I really enjoy seeing his talent and see him express him. Certainly, I am convinced that he will be here at the beginning of the season. We have a few players who are such players I think they are irreplaceable. Your top players are so hard to find, they are so difficult to recruit, they are so they are.
“So if you have them, you have to cherish him. We certainly recognize his talent and his ability, at the staff. We are of course desperate to keep him part of our team.”
One of the agents of Isak, Gonzalo Gaitan, has added some fuel to the fire in the midst of these comments by recently admitting that they are considering 'all options' for the Swede.
“We indeed study and analyze all options,” he said in an interview with Saudi -Arab publication Arriyadiyah. “And we are perhaps almost the completion of the next step for the player, without revealing details about whether Isak will transfer or will stay with Newcastle.”
In the meantime, Liverpool continues to spend large on the transfer market, with the £ 79 million for Ekitike that brings the expenditure of the Reds almost £ 300 million this summer alone. But their company may not stop there, with potential for more attacking recruits and a new middle behind.
Liverpool will probably at least need a new attacker, given the constant uncertainty about the future of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Federico Chiesa. But after he committed himself to splash Ekitike, it is still to be seen whether Liverpool would still chase Isak – which would cost more than £ 120 million.
With the doubt about the future of ISAK that results from Newcastle's failure to agree on a new long -term agreement with a deserved wage increase, his representatives seem to play the game about the prospects of their customer, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Newcastle is preparing for their next test on Sunday 27 July, when they are confronted with Arsenal in Singapore, where Isak could prevent. They compete against a K-League XI and Tottenham Hotspur in South Korea on Wednesday 30 July and Sunday 3 August and respectively.
They will play further friendly games against Espanyol in St. James' Park on Friday 8 August and then Atletico Madrid on Saturday, August 9, prior to their Premier League opener road to Aston Villa on Saturday 16 August.
The transfer window will close shortly thereafter, on Monday, September 1, and although how was clear in his hope that Isak will remain a player in Newcastle on this point, his future could still be in the air.
Although a definitive relocation of the Reds for Isak is far from certain, they will keep a close eye on his situation and Newcastle will keep the Swede for the coming season.