· 2 August 2025, 16:30
**Newcastle United face Tottenham Hotspur in Seoul, South Korea, tomorrow, but you'd be forgiven for forgetting there was a game on at all if you were watching Eddie Howe's press conference.**
Naturally, all of the focus was on Alexander Isak with the striker having gone AWOL to train alone in Spain at his old club, while Liverpool had an official bid rejected by Newcastle yesterday.
Eddie Howe maintains that he is removed from the situation, telling reporters that the bid had already been rejected before he'd even been told it had been made.
But perhaps the most telling thing Howe said during the presser was when asked about the accusations of Liverpool unsettling Isak.
Eddie Howe takes a backhanded swing at Liverpool's conduct
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We've often praised Eddie Howe for the way he answers questions. He never gives anything away, but sometimes he can tell you everything if you read between the lines. However, you didn't really need to when it came to the point about Liverpool's handling of the Isak situation this summer.
> "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."
As far as Eddie Howe's emotions go, that was pure, unadulterated rage
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There is no way that last paragraph wasn't Eddie Howe subtly hinting that he's not happy with how Liverpool have conducted themselves this summer.
He has a star striker trying to force a move away from the club, running off to Spain, and a mainstream media seemingly determined to do all they can to facilitate that move to Liverpool.
Honestly, Eddie Howe's conduct has been exemplary. There are definitely managers out there who wouldn't be as calm and as subtle as Howe is being. Imagine if someone were doing this to one of Jose Mourinho's players. Stay classy, Eddie.