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Gary Lineker has suggested the Alexander Isak saga could rumble on until January, prolonging Newcastle United's transfer headache. The Swedish striker remains steadfast in his refusal to turn out for the Magpies as he pushes for a switch to Liverpool, who has had a lone $149 million (£110 million) offer turned down.
Newcastle has equally stood its ground, maintaining Isak is not available for purchase, though it might be tempted to sell if the Premier League champions can edge nearer to the ($200M) £150m asking price.
The transfer drama is hampering their pursuit of a striker, with manager Eddie Howe being compelled to deploy players in unfamiliar roles without his key No. 9. A decisive moment looms for all concerned parties, with the transfer window closing next Monday.
Magpies icon Alan Shearer believes the situation must reach a conclusion one way or another by the weekend, though Lineker fears it could continue indefinitely.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer said: "It has to be resolved [before the weekend]; they can't go through until next Monday. It's just been going on and on.
"I know the chairman (Yasir Al-Rumayyan) was in Newcastle last night (Monday). My guess would be, something has to be sorted in the next two or three days. It can't drag on until the weekend. One way or the other, it has to be resolved, it really does."
Lineker remains unconvinced that the deadline will bring an end to the dispute, however.
He speculated: "I've got a feeling it might go to the wire. I can't see Isak changing his tune, and it has to come from him [for him to play for Newcastle again], unless there's a deal done. If there's a deal done, it will obviously work out before.
"But if it stays as a stalemate, it goes to the end of the window. Then if nothing happens... because it's not easy getting a transfer over the line anyway, particularly one with these complications and the amount of money involved.
"If they don't, then it will drift on to January, I guess, which is no good for anyone, unless Isak changes his tune when he realises he can't play for a few months."
Newcastle bosses held discussions with Isak in a bid to find a resolution to the matter. Howe wasn't involved in those conversations but is growing increasingly frustrated.
Reflecting on his team's 3-2 home loss to Liverpool, he commented: "I've not been party to talks on this for a long time now.
"I've been preparing the team and giving all my energy to the players that want to play for Newcastle. I think that is where my energy is best put at the moment.
"We want clarity, we want to move forward, we want the narrative to change because we're in the start of the season now. We're into the action and we've got to get results, and we've got to try to focus on what we can control.
"We've given two really, really good performances, we've ended up with one point. That's tough for us to take, especially in this moment where you're looking for positives to cling to. But we battle through and we now go on to Leeds [on Saturday]."
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