Newcastle United issue official Alexander Isak update with £74m double swoop imminent
Eddie Howe has provided the latest on Alexander Isak ahead of Newcastle United’s Premier League opener at Aston Villa.
Isak hasn’t been part of Newcastle’s first-team squad since returning from a pre-season training camp in Austria last month. The striker has played no part in The Magpies’ pre-season matches and will miss Saturday’s Premier League season opener at Aston Villa on Saturday (12:30pm kick-off).
The Swede is understood to be on strike in a bid to force through a move to Liverpool after Newcastle rejected an initial £110million bid from the Premier League champions.
And Howe confirmed the striker won’t be involved for the trip to Villa Park on Saturday (12:30pm kick-off).
Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak situation ahead of Aston Villa v Newcastle United
Howe admitted he is not actively involved in dealing with Isak or his current situation and has instead been focused on peparing his squad for the season opener at Aston Villa.
“There's been no change to the situation,” Howe said on Isak. “All my focus has been on the training, on Aston Villa, on the transfer front in terms of trying to get players in. And you can imagine that that is all-consuming for me.
“So Alex's situation has been unchanged for a while and that will continue to be the case.”
Howe couldn’t confirm whether Isak would play for the club again but was asked whether he expected the striker to still be a Newcastle player come the end of the transfer window.
“Yes, at the moment I would, but I've got no change of feeling throughout the summer,” he added. “It's not in my hands. But he's contracted to us, so that's why I say that.
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“I've had a great relationship with Alex. I think you need to have that partnership with every player. I take my part of that relationship really, really importantly.
“I think in the respect that I have to work really closely with the player to his benefit, to try and improve them, to try and help them, to try and educate them, sometimes console them. There's so many different emotions that players go through and I always want to be there for them in every way. And me and Alex have enjoyed a great relationship.
“I don't think he'd have done as well as he's done without that and without his teammates and without the supporters and the backing of the whole football club. He recognises that as well. He's a highly intelligent person and he knows he wouldn't have had the success here without everybody connected with Newcastle. So, this is a different moment for him and for us and we're working through that together.”
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Alexander Isak replacement targeted
Newcastle are closing in on the signing of Yoane Wissa from Brentford. The Bees are set to give The Magpies the green light to sign the DR Congo international having agreed a deal to sign AFC Bournemouth forward Dango Ouattara for a club-record fee of £42million.
The deal for Wissa is understood to be worth around £35million with the striker likely to follow £39million Jacob Ramsey through the door in a £74million double swoop.
But with uncertainty over Isak, a further striker could still be targeted by Newcaslte.
“We've been looking to sign a striker all summer,” Howe added. “We lost Callum Wilson at the end of last year, so a striker was a necessity for us all through the window. That's not changed. We're still in that position.
“For loads of different reasons, we haven't been able to sign one, but we still have time to do that.
“We're looking to sign a striker and we're trying to sign the best one that we can. I just focus on bringing the one in that we feel suits us and the way that we play and can make a difference. They're the key qualities that I look at. Bear in mind that a lot of targets have already moved.
“I think it's a very small field. The centre-forward market this year is as tight as I've ever known it, really.
“Yes, we've been active for a few and for whatever reason they haven't happened.I can't deny that.
“But we're still actively looking and I still believe that there is someone there that can fit our requirements.”