Howe says everyone at Newcastle wants to Isak back in the first team fold, but warned "the situation has to be right for that to happen".
Isak was left out of Newcastle's squad for Friday night's friendly against Espanyol and won't be involved in Saturday's game against Atletico Madrid.
The striker has pushed for a transfer this summer amid Liverpool's interest, and has trained alone this week having not travelled with the squad on their pre-season trip to Asia.
Here's everything Howe said on Isak in an honest and revealing press conference at St James' Park on Friday night:
**CAN YOU PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON ALEXANDER ISAK?**
"We've had discussions and it's clear at the moment we can't involve him with the group.
"I don't know how long that will be for. That's the latest."
**WHOSE CHOICE IS IT FOR HIM NOT TO BE INVOLVED?**
"I think I'd rather leave it with that line. Discussions between us have to remain private but it's clear I can't involved him with the group."
**DOES HE HAVE A FUTURE AT THE CLUB?**
"Well he's here. Of course he has a future at Newcastle, certainly from our perspective, everyone at the club would love to see him back with the team.
"But the situation has to be right for that to happen."
**HAS HE BEEN DISCIPLINED?**
"No, I don't think so.
"Yeah, he's training later than the rest of the squad. There's been discussions since the tour and everything that happened in between that, but in terms of disciplinary action I don't think that's happened."
**DOES THERE COME A POINT WHERE THE CLUB HAS TO SAY HE'S STAYING?**
"I don't think it's that straightforward otherwise we'd have done that a long time ago.
"I don't think we're in a position to do that currently.
"I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't think that's right. I think I've said enough."
**DOES ISAK STILL WANT TO PLAY FOR THIS CLUB?**
"I don't think we've gone into that.
"We've had discussions but I don't think we've gone there, so it's probably best I don't comment on that."
**DO YOU THINK HE'LL STILL PLAY FOR CLUB?**
"He's here and he's contracted to us.
"As long as he's in that position, there is of course a chance he'll play for the club again. But I don't know what the future holds."
**IS ISAK FIT?**
“He's not not playing because of a fitness issue. His thigh injury is recovered, he's got no fitness issues.
**IS THIS ONE OF THE TRICKIEST SITUATIONS OF YOUR CAREER?**
“There are loads of moments in my management career where there have been difficult situations, and it's very difficult to put one ahead of the other.
“It's probably been the most high-profile, but that doesn't mean the most challenging. You;re always dealing with issues. Every days, there's problems or decisions that you have to try to find solutions to, and this is very much in that case.
“I hope there's a positive outcome and a positive resolution whatever that looks like because the most important thing is the club and the team, not any individual."
**DO YOU SEE ISAK PLAYING AGAINST VILLA?**
“I'd want Alex to be playing today, I'd want him training tomorrow. We would love the player to be with us – let me make that absolutely clear. There's no part of me that doesn't want that outcome.
“But I don't see that changing before Aston Villa, the current situation we're in.”