3 days ago
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Liverpool has been informed that signing Alexander Isak will be off the cards unless a significant offer is made, with the Newcastle striker still training alone as he angles for a transfer away.
Eddie Howe hinted over the weekend that, amidst ongoing transfer rumours, it's unlikely Isak will play against Aston Villa in Newcastle's Premier League opener on Saturday.
While the football landscape can shift rapidly, Howe concedes that discussions with the forward have been challenging. The boss admitted that if he'd managed to persuade Isak to stay contentedly in the north east, the matter would already be settled.
Isak's standing in Newcastle has taken a huge hit since requesting a transfer away from the club. Currently, images of the Swede have been removed from the club shop, and Adidas staff told Chronicle Live that during the club's South Korea trip, shirt sales featuring his name and number plummeted.
Newcastle is still scouting for a new forward to fill Isak's boots, with Vangelis Pavlidis of Benfica being the most recent suggestion for the Magpies – though he's just one of many possibilities.
The club is also holding out for a higher offer for Isak. Liverpool's latest proposal, submitted at the start of August, was around $148 million, but it was swiftly rejected.
If Isak wants to go to Anfield, Newcastle first need a replacement and a much higher offer. It has been previously reported that the asking price for the Swede is over $200M, but it's now thought that $175M plus add-ons could clinch the deal.
Nevertheless, Isak – and his prospective destination, Liverpool – have received the ultimate verdict: without a big offer, there will be no move.
In the meantime, the opportunity remains for Isak to prepare for the fixture at Villa Park, and possibly turn out once more for the Magpies – though he's demonstrated little appetite for doing so during this offseason period.
Newcastle appear destined to enter their Premier League opener without the striker who scored 27 goals for them last league campaign and contributed to their Champions League qualification.
Isak was the centrepiece of the new third strip launch earlier this summer, even appearing in Adidas promotional material alongside soccer legend Tino Asprilla at the Tyneside Irish Centre - though this occurred long before any transfer speculation emerged.
Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton remain popular choices amongst fans for shirt numbers and names, yet there's an expectation that a fresh striker could help recoup some of the lost cash.
But when it comes to league preparations, Howe must forge ahead with the knowledge that his star player could be heading to Anfield. Whilst his absence represents a considerable setback for the team, the manager recognised that keeping the squad's morale intact is just as vital.
Howe said: "I think the group has been disrupted, of course, but I think whenever you have a player in this situation, it's unsettling for the team.
"I don't think we've been in that position since I've been here, the harmony and togetherness of the group has been at its highest, so I think naturally it's just been a topic of conversation, it's been a distraction and the biggest hit we've taken is we're not blessed with a number of players in his position, so I think you've seen a big gap.
"But I have to say, big credit to the players because they've got on with their work, training has been of a really high level.
"I haven't seen a negative output on the pitch, but I have been aware of feeling around the group that there's something there that's not to the benefit of the group."
When asked whether Isak could still be motivated to stage a return at Villa Park, Howe added: "I don't see that changing before Aston Villa, the current situation we're in."
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