Eddie Howe has rebutted suggestions he promised Alexander Isak a transfer out of Newcastle this summer but indicated it may be in everyone’s best interests if the striker departed.
Rumours that Newcastle’s manager had informed Isak he would be free to join Liverpool once a replacement was signed have been circulating in the 10 days since the striker posted an emotional Instagram post talking of “broken promises” but Howe has, quite vehemently, rejected that notion.
“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.”
Nonetheless Newcastle’s almost-completed capture of the £70m Germany striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart has cleared the way for Liverpool to make a record bid for Isak. An offer approaching £130m could finally conclude their summer-long pursuit of the Swede, who has spent the majority of the close season refusing to train with or play for Howe’s team.
Until as recently as last week some Newcastle executives had appeared determined to keep Isak but that stance has now softened appreciably. The mood shifted on Monday when the club’s minority owner Jamie Reuben was joined by representatives of the majority stakeholders, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, at Isak’s Northumberland home.
It is understood Isak proved resistant to their attempts to broker a rapprochement and was not interested in the offer of a lucrative new contract.
Although Howe attempted to play a straight bat, he suggested Isak’s determination never to play for Newcastle again dictated that it may be the right moment for a richly talented player he had initially hoped to keep to exit Tyneside.
“Of course I would have a preference [as to whether Isak remained or departed],” he said. “But ultimately you have got to look at all the information. 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.
“But I have no control over it. That’s for other people to decide. I’m not in control of those discussions. I’m focusing on trying to bring new players into the team.”
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Tellingly, Howe – who has not spoken to Isak for about a fortnight and has had no contact with the 25-year-old since that provocative Instagram post – is hoping Newcastle’s continued pursuit of Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and the Wolves centre-forward Jørgen Strand Larsen will equip him with a second attacking signing capable of potentially partnering Woltemade.
Much to Howe’s frustration, the German will sign too late to be involved on Saturday at Leeds, where Newcastle are without the suspended Anthony Gordon and the injured Joelinton. Sandro Tonali has only an outside chance of passing a late fitness test on a shoulder problem.
More positively, Joelinton’s groin injury is not regarded as long term and Howe hinted that his squad’s collective morale had strengthened in Isak’s absence. “The squad dynamic is very strong at the moment,” he said. “I wouldn’t have said that in the first two weeks of pre-season though.”
Perhaps significantly Isak participated in that opening fortnight before embarking on his solitary strike. “The players have been through a lot this summer and there was a lot of distraction but, since then, they’ve been really strong,” Howe said. “We’re in a really good place now. I think the squad still needs a bit of work just in terms of finishing touches to make this a really successful window.”