Liverpool transfer target Alexander Isak has been instructed to train alone while Newcastle United look to have missed out on a replacement
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United looks on
Liverpool transfer target Alexander Isak(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Moving parts in the Alexander Isak transfer saga look to have provided Liverpool with fresh hope of landing their top striker target, but all hopes rest on a second bid being made. The Reds have not acted since the rejection of their opening £110m attempt, considering it futile given the speed at which their rivals said no.
Instead, Anfield chiefs are waiting for significant develops before lining up any next act. Now the first revelations are beginning to emerge nine days out from the start of the new Premier League campaign and 27 days until the summer transfer window grinds to a standstill.
Playing out in tandem with the Liverpool and Isak saga has been one focused on Newcastle's struggle against Manchester United over a potential replacement - RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.
Plenty of toing and froing has taken place between which club will earn the 22-year-old's favour and strike an agreement with Leipzig first, but the race would appear to be reaching a climax. The ECHO's sister site, the Manchester Evening News, reports that is is Man United who are closing in.
Confidence grows inside the walls of Old Trafford after a bid of €75m(£65.3m) plus €10m (£8.7) in add-ons was sent to Germany. Although Newcastle have offered more financially and can use Champions League football as a unique selling point, it is believed Sesko will pick Man United.
Without a replacement through the door at St. James' Park, common sense would suggest there being little chance of Newcastle's ownership relaxing their hardline not-for-sale stance over Isak.
But according to the ECHO's next sister site, Chronicle Live, chiefs on Tyneside may have chosen to fight for Sesko but he has not been their only target. Goncalo Ramos of Paris Saint-Germain has been looked at in previous summers and could be revisited. Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins and Yoane Wissa - although seen as replacements for Callum Wilson who departed Newcastle as a free agent earlier this summer - are actively on the list too.
And then there are the actions of Newcastle that make Isak's involvement as part of Eddie Howe's side look increasingly unlikely.
The 25-year-old returned to train at the Magpies' Darsley Park base on Monday, while his manager and teammates returned to the United Kingdom from their pre-season tour to the Far East.
Isak did not take part in that tour because of a minor thigh injury, however soon after it emerged he had asked the club to be allowed to explore transfer opportunities then travelled to Spain to train alone at the facilities of former club Real Sociedad.
The Newcastle squad resumed training on Wednesday morning having been afforded two days' rest. Howe then held a barbecue, for the team's staff, players and their families, though Isak has been instructed to train and get treatment for his injury on his own and Sky Sports report he was not invited to take part in this social event either.
Fair warning had been given to the striker, with his manager stating on Sunday: "You have to earn the right to train with us. We are Newcastle United.
"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 earns the right to train with the group. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal."
Newcastle's pre-season schedule comes to an end this weekend with two fixtures part of the Sela Cup, held at St. James' Park, against Espanyol on Friday and Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
According to Chronicle Live, further official answers on this saga are only set to arrive after each game. Howe has clarified he is not holding a pre-match meeting with the media but will converse after the matches and will inevitably be asked about the situation.