Newcastle United will almost certainly start the season without Alexander Isak but it remains to be seen if he stays at the club beyond that point.
Liverpool want to sign Isak and will reportedly return with a fresh bid if and when Newcastle United soften their stance, having already rejected a huge offer from the Premier League champions.
It will be interesting to see if Isak is allowed to depart if the club sign a replacement this summer, although little about what Newcastle have done in the transfer market thus far would suggest that is likely any time soon.
The Isak saga has turned ugly. He’s now training away from the rest of the Newcastle United squad and reportedly does not want to play for the club again.
Wanting to leave is perhaps understandable but the manner in which this has all played out has been damaging for his legacy on Tyneside.
Miguel Delaney has now shared how Newcastle are feeling about it all.
Alexander Isak looks on during a Newcastle United pre-season training camp in Austria.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Newcastle United bruised by Alexander Isak saga
Delaney has revealed that Newcastle are feeling “bruised” about the situation regarding Isak.
He claims that Newcastle felt the fact they qualified for the Champions League again put them in a position to keep the forward for at least another season.
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Writing in his Inside Football newsletter, Delaney revealed: “Newcastle United are feeling “bruised” because they felt another Champions League qualification had put them on the sort of level where they could keep the forward. Isak has instead agitated to leave.”
Could Newcastle United keep Alexander Isak?
Isak could still stay at Newcastle, even if that no longer feels like the ideal outcome for either party.
Liverpool are yet to make another bid for his services and, until they do, the impasse continues.
Even if they do, Newcastle still need an adequate replacement and the likes of Keith Downie of Sky Sports have previously explained that the potential addition of Yoane Wissa is not to replace Isak.
Wissa, if he arrives, could be Callum Wilson’s replacement.
Meanwhile, Craig Hope of The Daily Mail revealed that the Sweden star could still have to stay at St James’ Park unless Newcastle sign at least two forwards.