Newcastle United news: Alexander Isak did not train with Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United first-team on Wednesday squad amid Liverpool transfer interest.
Isak has yet to feature for Newcastle United during pre-season and missed their trip to Asia. The club revealed at the time that the striker had been left on Tyneside to recuperate a minor thigh injury.
However, speculation surrounding Isak’s future at the club began to grow over the days that followed, leading to Liverpool submitting a bid worth £110m for the striker. That was swiftly rejected by Newcastle United who value the 25-year-old at £150m, significantly more than the Reds’ opening offer.
Whilst Liverpool ponder their next move, Newcastle United are preparing for their final matches of pre-season and the start of their Premier League campaign. Whether Isak will play a part in those games remains a mystery.
Eddie Howe’s Alexander Isak warning
After missing their 4-0 defeat at Celtic Park last month, Isak watched on as his teammates suffered two defeats away in Asia before ending their tour with a draw against Tottenham Hotspur. Isak’s absence meant Howe was forced to name Will Osula as striker for two of those games before playing Anthony Gordon in an unnatural striker position in Seoul against Spurs.
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Talk of Isak’s situation at the club, Liverpool’s interest in the striker and whether or not he would even return to training at Newcastle United after spending time training at his old club Real Sociedad dominated most of Howe’s media appearances in Asia. Speaking on Sunday before he and his team jetted back off to England, United’s head coach had a warning for Isak, reiterating that it wouldn’t be simple for him to walk back into training with his teammates.
“You have to earn the right to train with us. We are Newcastle United,” Howe said at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
“The player has a responsibility here to be part of a team and part of a squad - you have to act in the right way. So that is also at play here.
“We will make sure that any player does that to earn the right to train with the group. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal.”
Newcastle United return to St James’ Park on Friday for the first time since their clash against Everton on the final day of last season’s Premier League season. A clash against La Liga’s Espanyol awaits on Friday night (7:30pm kick-off) before Diego Simeone brings his Atletico Madrid team to Tyneside on Saturday (4pm kick-off) for a clash that will see Newcastle United defend the Sela Cup.
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