Eddie Howe would not confirm the Benjamin Sesko bid but insisted that he wants to sign "the best" players for Newcastle United
Alexander Isak
(Image: Getty Images)
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe insists that there IS a pathway back to St James' Park for Alexander Isak.
News of Liverpool's bid for Isak broke last night after Howe had held talks with officials in Seoul. However, there remains a determination to keep the Sweden striker, and as Chronicle Live revealed, the offer was swiftly rejected.
The head coach was able to confirm that Liverpool had indeed placed a bid as per reports on Friday night. But that the offer was turned down and his intention was to still support the player amid further news that the Anfield outfit had pulled out of the hunt for the Swede.
Howe told Chronicle Live: "From my situation I am very much removed from what was happening back home. I was made aware of a bid yesterday and that bid was turned down all before I even heard about.
"People back in England are dealing with the situation.
"I really don't know what happens next. From our perspective, we still support Alex in every way, and my wish is that we see him in a Newcastle shirt again."
Howe was also asked by Chronicle Live if reports were true that Benjamin Sesko had been the subject of a bid from the Magpies. Reports from Slovenia suggest that an £80m offer is pending as the club looks to beat Manchester United to sign the 22-year-old RB Leipzig hitman.
Howe responded: "I am sorry to sound like a broken record, I am aware of what is happening but I am not dealing with it. I woke up today and had two training sessions then came straight here.
"I am finding out what is happening after it has happened, so we will try to bring the best to the football club - I will make that clear - but I can't talk about individual targets."
Howe was then asked if he was upset with Liverpool for unsettling Isak. The head coach said: "It is difficult because you don't know what is going to happen. There can be all sorts of talk and hypothetical situations but then you are dealing with reality.
"The reality is we had the first bid from Liverpool yesterday. I believe that was turned down, from this point onwards let's see what happens.
"I have no idea to try to predict that. In terms of trying to upset players, from my perspective, we can only talk about us, we try to do things the right way, signing players is always complex, we just try to do what we think is right.
"I can't talk about other clubs, that is not for me to say."
Responding on whether he knew where Isak was right now after reports in Spain he was training at Real Sociedad, he said: "I know where is now - through the media.
"So I think from that perspective, it is difficult to go into any type of detail. It
Howe was also asked whether there was a scenario that may exist that he signs Sesko and keeps Isak. Howe said: "We are looking at the best players we can get.
"We are only looking at the best we can get, I see all situations open and available to us. I feel that is the only way we are going to get where we want to go, which is to maximise quality over quantity.
"That is the way it has always been, the way we work, we try to improve, we have don it pretty well to this point.
"It has been a challenging summer as you know. We have missed out on loads of different targets for different reasons.
"But we are still very competitive and we are still in there trying to bring good players to the club, that won't change until the window shuts."
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