Newcastle United have already made transfer decision on 29-goal striker Eddie Howe loves

Eddie Howe is ‘delighted’ to have a player of Alexander Isak’s quality at his disposal at Newcastle United.

The club’s aim is to keep hold of the striker, who has scored 19 goals in all competitions so far this season. At just 24-years-old, Isak is one of Newcastle’s most valuable assets and has, in Howe’s words, ‘limitless potential’.

The Magpies paid a club record £63million to sign the Swedish forward back in 2022 and he has since gone on to score 29 goals in 59 appearances for the club. Newcastle’s Premier League rivals Arsenal retain an interest in the striker, having previously scouted him at Real Sociedad.

“For me, [he has] limitless potential,” Howe admitted. “We’ve got someone who has had some really good experiences in his career.

“As a young player he’s had some experiences in different leagues. He’s come to us at a good time in his career where we can hopefully develop his talents and give him a platform to show how good he is.

“At the moment, he’s building confidence all the time. He’s a high-level player and we’re delighted to have him with us.”

The likes of Isak and Bruno Guimaraes have been linked with moves away from Newcastle as the club looks to comply with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules and raise funds to allow for further spending in the transfer market. While Howe couldn’t guarantee the club would keep hold of its ‘best players’, it is certainly the intention to do so.

“You have to try and keep your best players,” added the Newcastle boss. “Whether you’re able to do continually with the rules that are in place at the moment, that’s always unsure, I’m not in control of that.

“But from my perspective, to be the team we want to be, we have to try and  keep our best players and improve the other.”

Newcastle finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League in Isak’s first season at the club but have found things more difficult this time around with several players suffering lengthy injury absences during the campaign. The side exited the Champions League at the group stage and currently sit eighth in the Premier League table heading into the final eight games.