Newcastle United is poised to confront the uncertain future of star striker Alexander Isak as the team returns from its pre-season tour in Asia, with the delicate situation demanding immediate and decisive attention upon their homecoming.
The Magpies are set to conclude the final leg of their Far East tour on Sunday, facing Tottenham in Seoul. Once Eddie Howe and his first-team squad arrive back in England, resolving the current impasse surrounding Isak will undoubtedly become the club’s number one priority.
Isak notably did not accompany the rest of the Newcastle squad on their pre-season travels. While an ongoing thigh issue was initially cited as the reason for his absence, there has been a subsequent acknowledgement that the growing uncertainty over the striker’s future is a significant factor in the ongoing stand-off between the Swedish international and his employers.
While the majority of Howe’s first-team group continued their preparations in South Korea, Isak has been in Spain, training at the facilities of his former club, Real Sociedad. Newcastle officials are fully aware of this arrangement and have granted Isak permission to spend time there, despite the less-than-ideal optics of the situation, given his contract with the club extends until the summer of 2028.
Strong interest from Liverpool in signing Isak has been widely reported. However, despite Luis Diaz completing a £65m move to Bayern Munich earlier this week – a deal that was anticipated to trigger a formal offer for Isak, amid suggestions Liverpool might pay up to £120m – a bid has yet to materialize, further prolonging the transfer speculation.
For now, with a substantial portion of players and staff in the Far East, Newcastle’s ownership group has been content to allow the situation to settle without applying excessive pressure on Isak or his representatives. This patient approach, however, is not expected to last much longer, with a definitive shift in position anticipated upon the return of Eddie Howe and his senior coaching staff to Tyneside.
Upon his return to Newcastle’s Darsley Park training ground, Howe is expected to hold crucial face-to-face talks with Isak. In a notable development, and in the absence of a sporting director following Paul Mitchell’s recent departure, it is even possible that the club’s chairman and head of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, Yasir al-Rumayyan, could become personally involved in the efforts to resolve this complex situation.
Newcastle is acutely aware of the inherent risks associated with retaining a player whose focus may be elsewhere. Nevertheless, the club remains resolute in its stance that as long as Isak is under contract, he is expected to adhere to its terms, including being available for training and matches, injury permitting, as the team prepares for upcoming fixtures.
Should a resolution lead to Isak’s departure, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has emerged as Newcastle’s preferred alternative to bolster their attack. However, the pursuit of Sesko would not be straightforward, given significant interest from Manchester United and Leipzig’s reported demand for a minimum initial fee of €75m, plus additional add-ons and a guaranteed sell-on clause, highlighting the competitive nature of modern football transfers.
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