With three days of the transfer window to go, resolving Isak’s position remains the Magpies’ key priority as they look to secure a successful end to an extremely trying summer.
The Swede remains unavailable for selection ahead of tomorrow’s game at Leeds United, with Newcastle’s stance on his future seemingly unchanged. However, there have now been a couple of developments that appear to make Isak’s departure to Liverpool more likely.
First, Newcastle have agreed a £65m deal with Stuttgart for Nick Woltemade, with the Germany international currently on Tyneside completing his move. While the Magpies would still need to sign a second striker before sanctioning Isak’s exit, something that is far from straightforward with talks over both Yoane Wissa and Jorgen Strand Larsen still at an impasse, Woltemade’s arrival has eased much of the anxiety that was building as Newcastle’s transfer moves hit a succession of brick walls.
Then, in addition, to Woltemade’s signing, Howe has subtly shifted his own public position, conceding for the first time that while holding on to Isak would be preferential from a footballing point of view, the striker’s willingness to down tools and effectively abandon his team-mates in the last month has to be factored into any discussions over his future. While Howe has never publicly criticised Isak’s conduct, the extent of his frustration at the forward is gradually becoming clearer.
“Of course, I would have a preference \[over what happens with Isak\], but ultimately you have to look at all the information,” said the Newcastle boss. “So, of course I have a footballing preference, but then you have to take everything else into account, you can’t just be oblivious to things that have happened.
“So, I’m in that position really, where I’m trying to separate myself because I have no control over it. I will let everything take its course and then deal with the eventuality.
“I don’t think you can be emotionally involved. If you’re emotionally involved, you’re going to make a bad decision. I’ve had to separate myself from it, as Alex exited the squad, initially. I took the view that the squad needed me to be the best me and be totally focused on them.
“This situation was not going to be resolved quickly, and I had no control over bringing any resolution to it. I was in that position when I took the call to move forward with the squad.”
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Howe and Isak have not held face-to-face discussions for two weeks now, and while the former has always insisted the breakdown in their relationship is not irreparable, it is increasingly clear that it would be extremely difficult to repair.
In the statement he released earlier this month, Isak claimed that “promises had been broken”, creating a narrative that the Swede had been promised by Howe that he could leave this summer if a new forward was signed. Howe, however, insists that was never the case.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I never make any promises to any players regarding transfers because, ultimately, I’m not in control of the whole thing. I would never make a promise like that to any player. But of course, as I’ve said many times, the conversations I have with Alex, I’m not going to reveal the dialogue because I don’t think that’s healthy.”
With Newcastle still waiting for Liverpool to make an improved offer after their initial bid for Isak was rejected earlier this month, Howe has chosen to detach himself from the ongoing situation with the Swede.
“That is where I have been for a long time with the Alex situation because it will be detrimental for me to invest any more time with that situation when I have 25-to-30 players needing every ounce of energy and time,” he said. “And the team needs me to focus on trying to get results, that is what I have tried to do.
“Other people are dealing with that situation. For me, it has been, ‘Let me focus on the players who are playing and can influence other results’.”
With Howe taking a back-seat, Newcastle’s PIF owners have adopted an increasingly hands-on role in order to resolve the Isak situation, with the club’s co-owner, Jamie Reuben, also having become increasingly influential in the last few days.
“PIF have always been helpful and supportive so there’s no change there,” said Howe. “I had a very, very brief chat with Yasir al-Rumayyan \[after Monday’s defeat to Liverpool\], and we didn’t speak in any detail.”