Everything Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe said on Nick Woltemade, Alexander Isak and transfers.
It’s been a manic 24 hours on Tyneside, with Newcastle United’s striker situation taking a dramatic twist.
The Magpies are closing in on the £69million club-record signing of Nick Woltemade from Bundesliga side Stuttgart, which has naturally pushed Alexander Isak closer to the exit door.
Isak is on strike at Newcastle in an attempt to force through a move to Liverpool, and the Swede is closer to getting his wish with the Reds widely expected to table a new British record offer.
Signing Woltemade and another striker before the summer transfer window shuts on Tuesday at 7pm will all-but guarantee an Isak exit, subject to Liverpool submitting an acceptable fee.
So, what are Newcastle’s plans for the remaining three days of the window? And what’s the latest on Woltemade and Isak? Here’s everything Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said on those three topics at his pre-Leeds United press conference on Friday morning.
What can you say to us about the move for Nick Woltemade?
“Not too much, but positive signs. I think things are moving and developing in a good way at the moment. Until things are done, I can't confirm anything, but fingers crossed.”
Would it be your hope that he could be registered in time for Leeds?
“I don't think that is going to be possible due to lots of reasons I don't understand. But I think the most important thing is that we try and bring a centre-forward in. That's what we've been working towards really hard all summer, so hopefully we're getting close.”
How busy have the last few days, the last week been as you furiously try and bring in a striker?
“I think the last month really has been the same. It's been relentless. This has been a demanding window in lots of different ways. The work going in has been detailed. It has to be.
“We have to try and bring the right players to the football club, and there's been a big effort from everyone behind the scenes to try and achieve that.
“So as I said earlier, we look like we're getting closer, but nothing is signed yet. But it's certainly moving in the right direction.”
On a scale of one to 100, how much are you looking forward to the window closing?
“101! It'll be good because I think you can then focus on what we love to do, which is the training and the players that we have and trying to build the team, knowing that it's settled and all the emotion around the transfer window is gone.
“But yeah, of course, there's also benefits to the window in the sense that if you need to improve the squad, you still have a chance to do it. And certainly we are looking to do that in the last few days.”
So going from what you're saying there, if you get Nick Woltemade in and confirmed, are you still active in the window?
EH: “Yeah, we're still looking because I think there's still an opportunity, maybe, to improve the squad further. But I don't know quite what that will look like. But I think just small steps really. Let's try and get the deal that we're working on done and then see where we are.”
What does that activity mean for the future of Alexander Isak?
“Difficult for me to give you any clarity on the future. I've said before, I don't know what the future holds in that respect because I'm not dealing with it myself. I've got no update from what I spoke about the other day. I'm concentrating on trying to bring players to the club.”
Do you feel like the club is just about there with what you need for a successful Premier League and Champions League campaign?
“Yes, I think we've worked hard throughout the window to try and get ourselves in that position. There's been quite a lot of work done. I still feel, in an ideal world, there's a little bit more work to do. So we'll try, as I said earlier, right to the end of the window.”
If the move goes through, do you see yourself being able to do with Nick what you've done with Alex?
“Without talking about the individual player, because that's not right, we believe in our ability to try and coach players, help players maximise their ability and take their games to the next level.”
Have you spoken at all to Alex this week, or has it been very much the same situation?
“Same situation.”
I know you can't talk about Alexander too much, but does it get to a point where you cannot waste too much energy on a certain situation and you have to delegate that to the powers that be?
“Yeah, that's where I've been for a long time, with the Alex situation, because it would be detrimental for me to invest any more time in that situation when I've got 25, 30 players needing every ounce of energy and time, and the team needs me to focus on trying to get results. So that's what I've tried to do.
“Other people, as I've said, are dealing with that situation. For me, it's been, let me focus on the players that are playing and that can influence our results.”
There is a narrative this summer that you told Alex that you needed to sign a replacement before he would be allowed to leave. Is that true?
“Absolutely not. I never make any promises to any players regarding transfers because, ultimately, I'm not in control of the whole thing. So, no, I never make a promise like that to a player. But, of course, as I've said so many times with conversations with Alex, I'm not going to reveal the dialogue because I don't think that's healthy.”
You've brought in one high-profile striker. Does it make a move for Alex more likely, closer?
“Well, we haven't brought anyone in yet, so we're in the process of trying to do that. And, as I said earlier, I think the best thing to do is to, from my position, reflect and analyse upon if we're able to make a signing and then see what we do next.”
Is it in the best interest now of everyone at Newcastle to let Alex leave if a suitable bid is made?
“As I've said, that's for other people to decide in this moment in time. I'm not in control of those discussions and those talks. So, I'm focusing on trying to bring players into the club and improve the team.”
If you do bring in a striker, do you envisage other potential outgoings? Do you need to financially for PSR reasons to move people on as well?
“I think PSR is always there. As I've said, with every decision we make, there is a view to PSR, whether it be now or looking at future windows.
“So, I couldn't rule anything out. I couldn't say absolutely not. But also, I couldn't say anything is 100 per cent going to happen because, as I said, we need to reflect upon our position, both PSR-wise and squad-wise, if we can make this signing that we want to make.”
More than anything, you said that other people are dealing with the Alex situation. Do you have a preference as to how this does play out?
“Of course, I would have a preference, but ultimately, you've got to look at all the information. Of course, I have a footballing preference, but then you've got to take everything else into account. You can't just be oblivious to things that have happened.
“I'm in that position where I'm trying to separate myself from it because, as I've said so many times, I have no control over it. So I'll let everything take its course and then deal with the eventuality.”
Is that fair to say, you've been a pragmatist around the situation?
“Yes, I don't think you can be emotionally involved because I think if you're emotionally involved, you're going to make a bad decision. So I've had to separate myself from it as Alex sort of exited the squad, really, initially.
“I took a view that then the squad needed me to be the best me and be totally focused on them. And this situation was not going to be resolved quickly and I had no control over bringing any resolution to it either. So I was in that position then, where I took the call to move forward with the squad.”
You spoke all summer about wanting to sign a striker and that striker would be a replacement for Calum Wilson. So any incoming player, do they have that label? Is it Calum Wilson a replacement for that player?
“No, they don't have that label from me. I understand the question, but I think we're just trying to sign the best players possible that we feel can help our team. There's no label attached to anyone we bring in. They will fight and compete for the shirt like everybody else. And then what happens from there is down to their own ability.”
The general understanding has been that you need to sign two strikers before letting Alexander Isak go. Now that one is through the door, do you hope to sign a second striker before the window closes?
“We've got no one through the door currently, so we're working hard on that. As I said, I think once that situation is resolved, either way, we'll then make a call on what we do next.”
Is there still room for more signings after this deal, if it goes through, or would you need to sell someone to raise additional funds?
“I think copy and paste my previous answer. We'll digest it all, see where we are financially and then make the next call.”
What would it mean to bring in a striker given difficulties this summer?
“It’s been something we have been working on for weeks and weeks and weeks but, as always, it’s about the right player – not any player. That’s what we’re working towards – bringing someone in we feel can take the team forward.”
Can Isak be reintegrated?
“I’ve answered that one many times. Yes, he’s contracted to us.”
Could Alexander Isak and Nick Woltemade be in a Newcastle squad together?
“Yeah, of course, but one isn’t available to pick and one we haven’t signed, so that gives it a bit of context.”
There was an overspend problem that hindered you for three transfer windows. If Woltemade signs, would you want to be careful to avoid repeating that?
“Yeah I think I’ve said many times we don’t want to be in a position where we are having to make poor decisions, which we had to do, well documented, previously off the back of the decisions we’ve made trying to improve the squad as we are now so I think PSR continues to influence everything we do but we don’t want to be chasing a big deficit because that will have big negative consequences if we are in that position again.”
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