· 22 August 2025, 12:30
**Eddie Howe faced the media on Friday morning for another round of grilling about Alexander Isak in the guise of a pre-match press conference with Liverpool visiting St James' Park on Monday night.**
We understand you're probably sick and tired of reading about Alexander Isak, and we're sick of writing about him, but nobody seems more done with the narrative than Eddie Howe, who managed to keep his composure for 30 minutes as the journalists asked a barrage of questions that have already been answered a thousand times before.
Rather than break down every key point Eddie Howe made about the striker for the sake of creating more content, we'll cover a few of the major points the gaffer hit on during his pre-match presser.
We could all do with a bit less Isak coverage, I'm sure.
> [](https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1958811555815952823)
Eddie is getting frustrated with all the questions around the whole situation now
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Eddie Howe addressed whether or not Isak would be involved on Monday night, to which it was a rather unsurprising "no".
> "My wish is that he’d be playing with us on Monday night, but he won’t be and that’s regrettable right now."
Howe went on and didn't hide the fact that he was sick of the questions:
> _"It is disappointing I am having to mention this at length and taking us away from the football. The players have done well to blank it all out.
>
> "It is there in the background, it is regrettable that we are in this situation."
>
> _
Eddie Howe had his say on the back and forth in midweek
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The gaffer also reacted to Isak's, and indeed the club's statements, in midweek before saying he would love to see Isak back in a Newcastle shirt.
> "It was a sad moment. My preference is these things do not happen publicly. They are better dealt with behind closed doors. But needs must. The club has spoken, & justifiably so in that moment.
>
> "He’s contracted to us. He’s our player. My wish is that he would be playing on Monday. He won’t be, & that’s regrettable. But 100 per cent I want him back in a Newcastle shirt"
The end is in sight
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Ultimately, Eddie Howe spoke about how the saga is coming to an end soon.
> "I have said all summer it is a difficult situation for the club. We love Alex
>
> "It looks like it is coming to an end or It will come to an end pretty quickly."
We can only assume that Howe is referencing the fact that there's only a week or so left of the transfer window and that this has to conclude one way or another by then.