The Newcastle United head coach looked glum when asked about Alexander Isak's talks with club officials
Alexander Isak looks on as he arrives for Newcastle training
(Image: PA)
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has admitted he did not waste energy on crisis talks with Alexander Isak - leaving the discussions with club chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and a PIF delegation.
Those conversations are believed to have taken place in Northumberland today before the PIF supremo and other influential figures then headed to St James' Park for transfer talks before the 3-2 defeat against Liverpool.
However, there was a moment in the Howe post-game Press conference in which he hinted that hopes of persuading the Sweden star to stay could be over.
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Citing players who want to play for Newcastle, in response to new Isak questions, Howe cut a glum figure after being pushed into a room full of journalists eager for updates on one of the biggest transfer sagas in years.
Howe, speaking after the 3-2 defeat to Liverpool, said: "I am not party to the talks that have been happening so I have no idea where that stands at this second."
He then added: "I am not aware of that (crisis talks), I have not been party to talks for a long time now.
"I have been preparing the team, giving all my energy to the players who want to play for Newcastle. And I think that is where my energy is best put at the moment.
"We want clarity we want to move forward we want the narrative to change."
Howe tried to play down any intentions of a swing at Isak after the game, but doubled down on his line of wanting "committed" stars.
Howe said: "There is no intentional dig to Alex but naturally I want players that are committed to Newcastle.
"That is one of the most important qualitues when you put out a team on the pitch that they show it, it's no dig to anybody, any manager will feel the same way."
On a day in which Newcastle were forced to put in an inflated bid of £50m for Jorgen Strand Larsen, who Wolves paid half the price for 12 months ago, Howe confessed he was now nearing the lower end of his wish-list.
Howe told Chronicle Live: "Your names at the beginning and end of the window are always very different because a lot of the players will have moved.
"So naturally that is always the case. If you are still active as we are (it still is).
"But as I have said all the way through the window we have to be careful we don't make decisions that impact the long-term and future windows and gives us problems, so any decision we make will always be around controlling PSR and making good financial decisions.
"Also against our need and our need is there, let's see what happens in the next few days."