Newcastle United want to keep Alexander Isak but the player wants to join Liverpool.
Jaws dropped when Isak broke silence on his future on Tuesday evening, where he accused the Magpies of breaking promises. In the last line of his statement, the Swede wrote: “When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue.”
Newcastle quickly responded with a statement of their own, denying that Isak had been told he could leave. The 25-year-old remains on strike and won’t feature against the club he wants to join, Liverpool, at St James’ Park on Monday night.
United expect Isak to remain on Tyneside, having said they “do not foresee” the conditions of his sale being met, after the transfer window closes on September 1 but are faced with a situation where they have to reintegrate a player who has said he doesn’t want to be at the club.
Newcastle United in ‘lose-lose’ situation with Alexander Isak
When asked if the club was in a lose-lose situation due to either selling a player they want to keep or keeping a player who wants to be sold, Howe replied: “I think the club has to act in the best interests of Newcastle United, and it will do that in every situation.
“I think it's a lose-lose situation to a degree for us because I don't think we can come out of this winning in any situation. And that's why I've said all summer it's a difficult situation for the club to manage.
Read More
“We love Alex in the sense of what he's done for the football club since he's been here, what he's contributed, what he's given, how professional he's been. And this has just been an unfortunate few months that it looks like it's coming to an end.
“Well, it will come to an end pretty quickly and then we can focus on the football again.”
‘Sad moment’ - Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak statement
Commenting on Isak’s statement, Howe admitted it was a “sad moment” in an already long drawn-out saga.
Howe said: “Yeah, as I said, of course, because I don't think it had to be this way. And it's disappointing that I'm having to sort of discuss it every press conference at length and taking away from, as I said, the football.
“We've got Liverpool coming up in two days' time, three days' time, and that's going to be a tougher game without having any distraction around us, any other focus, which I think the players have done really well to sort of blank it all out and focus on the football. I think it's been a real credit to the group that they've been able to do that.
“But it's there in the background and it's working against us. It's not helping us. So, as I said earlier, and I'll continue to say it, it's regrettable that we're in this situation.”
Continue Reading