**Eddie Howe**has kept things reserved again about the striker saga, but he clarified he "never makes promises" to players about exits. **Alexander Isak**might get his wish with a transfer to **Liverpool**after all, but his manager mentioned a firm stance about how he handles possible departures of individuals.
‘That's what we've been working towards’
News suggests that Newcastle have their man to replace Alexander Isak. **Nick Woltemade**is close to a record-breaking £64 million switch from Stuttgart, but all of the terms are not yet fully agreed.
“Not too much, but positive signs. Things are moving and developing in a good way at the moment.”
At the time of his interview, Howe hinted that the German would not be available to play this week.
“I don't think that is going to be possible due reasons I don't understand. The most important thing is we try and bring a center forward in. That's what we've been working towards really hard all summer.”
The transfer window started slowly as Anthony Elanga was the only incoming for the first team by the end of July. But this month, Aaron Ramsdale arrived on loan from Southampton, Jacob Ramsey joined from Aston Villa, and Malick Thiaw thrashed out a deal to leave AC Milan.
Howe is not ruling out the possibility that the board could bring in players on top of Woltemade.
“We're still looking because there's still an opportunity to improve the squad further, but I don't know what that will look like. Just small steps really. Let's try and get the deal that we're working on done.”
If Woltemade arrives, Isak is better placed to leave. But Howe had never given any guarantees to the Swedish striker that he was definitely adopting a 'one in, one out' policy over his future this summer.
“I never make any promises to any players regarding transfers because I'm not in control of the whole the whole thing. So I know I'd never make a promise like that to a player. As I've said so many times with conversations with Alex, I'm not going to reveal dialogue because that's not healthy.”
'The challenge only gets bigger’
Howe has hammered home that he cannot control what happens with Isak, and his first focus is maximising the players who are willing to give their all to the club. For many weeks now, he has accepted that trying to impose his will on this situation will only become a waste of his energy.
“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.”
No matter how the striker saga concludes, he cannot wait for deadline day. His first love is the game and getting the best out of his group, and that can become his singular focus when September starts.
“You're into the totally different place where you have to try and get results and performances and it's such an exciting season ahead. You don't want anything to derail the positivity that should be directed towards the team into getting results. It's hard enough to do it against the backdrop of distractions we faced this summer. But we're going to continue to have to do that. The challenge only gets bigger.”
The matter escalated in late July when Isak went to train at the facilities of his former club, Real Sociedad. Howe had hidden the impact his actions were having on the group, but it now feels like they have found a resolution to tally against the uncertainty and prove their untapped potential.
“The squad feel and dynamic is very strong at the moment. I think players have been through a lot this summer. I wouldn't have said the same answer in the first couple of weeks of preseason because I think there was a lot of distraction, but I think since then the squad's come together really strongly.”