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Alexander Isak will be "fuming" at Liverpool as the Newcastle striker's future remains uncertain, it has been claimed.
The 25-year-old missed Newcastle's Premier League opener at Aston Villa on Saturday and is continuing to push for a move to Anfield. Isak has been training separately from his club's first team after opting out of the club's pre-season tour of Asia.
Despite declaring he will not play for the Magpies again, manager Eddie Howe has left the door open for his return. Liverpool's initial £110million bid for the player was quickly turned down, and it has yet to come back with a better offer.
It's understood that Newcastle is keen to secure new strikers before considering letting Isak go. The Swedish player has faced criticism from the club's fans over his attempt to force a move, with chants of "there's only one greedy b******" seemingly aimed at him during the goalless draw at Villa Park.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster believes Liverpool is partly responsible for the tense situation. The ex-Wrexham keeper suggests that the Red may have encouraged Isak to stir up trouble through his agent. He said that Isak's handling of the situation leaves Liverpool as his only option, having burnt his bridges on Tyneside.
Speaking on the Fozcast podcast, Foster said: "He has to go to Liverpool, because I think that's probably the only team that will have him now.
"Isak's going to be fuming as well, because guaranteed that somebody from Liverpool has got in touch with his agent and gone, 'We want you here, hand in a transfer request or kick up a fuss and we'll sign you.' But they still haven't signed him.
"I think he just needs to take accountability for it all and he needs to come out with a statement. He needs to be open and honest with people. Liverpool are also aware that he's finished at Newcastle. They're not really going to be willing to up their offer any more."
Anthony Gordon featured as a false nine during Isak's absence against Villa, with Newcastle unable to find the net. Offensive reinforcements remain a possibility before deadline day, with Yoane Wissa and Goncalo Ramos both under consideration.
Meanwhile, Foster believes the hostility towards Isak from Newcastle supporters will eventually push the transfer through. The former England international branded the saga as "horrible" and urged for a swift resolution.
He added: "Newcastle fans are different. This is in their blood and he's besmirched them. He's in the mud, he's done and he cannot play for Newcastle ever again, but he's got the required result.
"The club has seen that [fans chanting] at the end of the game and gone, 'We just need to get him sold.' It's a horrible way to go about it, but that's modern day football and it's the way that they go."
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