Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that wantaway striker Alexander Isak will once again be absent when his suitors Liverpool visit St James’ Park on Monday, and has voiced his dismay at the transfer saga unfolding “publicly.”
Isak hasn’t reintegrated with the Newcastle side this summer amid interest from Liverpool, who sources told ESPN had a bid rejected at the beginning of August. The Sweden international released a statement this week saying that he had lost trust with Newcastle due to broken promises, which the club responded by insisting the conditions for his departure had not been met.
Newcastle play Liverpool in their next Premier League fixture.
“There’s been no change — he won’t be a part of the squad for this weekend’s game,” Howe said in his news conference on Friday.
Asked about the public back and forth, Howe admitted he would prefer it if everything was dealt with behind closed doors.
“My preference is it doesn’t happen publicly,” he said. “Everything is better dealt with behind closed doors. But needs must, and in this situation the club has spoken, and probably justifiably so in that moment.
“I haven’t seen him this week. When I see him, we speak as normal. There’s no issues. Of course it’s a difficult situation for both sides and it’s far from ideal for both parties. He’s training later on detached from the group but we will I’m sure catch up at some stage.”
“He’s contracted to us, he’s our player. My wish is he’d be playing Monday night with us but he won’t be and that’s regrettable. I 100% want to see him back in a Newcastle shirt.”
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Howe is hopeful of reintegrating Isak into his squad at some stage — which he said is “not an option” currently — and believes the fans would be able to welcome him back.
“The relationship between our fans and Isak can still be good,” he added. “The fans will always react to the way a player plays.”
One way or another, the matter will be resolved by the time the transfer window closes on Sept. 1 and Howe knows the Magpies will be weaker – in the short-term at least – whether or not they lose or keep their disaffected star man.
The 47-year-old, who confirmed he and the striker had discussed his future at the end of last season, said: “I think it is a lose-lose situation to a degree for us because I don’t think we can come out of this winning in any situation.
“That is why I have said all summer, it is a difficult situation for the club to manage.
“We love Alex in the sense of what has done for this football club since he has been here, what he has contributed, what he has given, how professional he’s been and this has just been an unfortunate few months that looks like it is coming to an end.
“And it will come to an end pretty quickly and then we can focus on the football again.”
Information from PA was used in this report.
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