Alexander Isak’s future at Newcastle United has been a big talking point recently. He refused to ever play for that national team after getting pursued by the English national team. The Swedish forward has only recently returned to Newcastle’s training complex. Now he has been left training away from the first team, meaning he will play no part in Saturday’s Premier League opener against Aston Villa.
Isak’s choice is really based on the fact that he wants to consider other possibilities, and this has led to friction in the club. Newcastle had already turned down Liverpool’s first bid of £110 million plus add-ons earlier this month. They gave strong signal indication that they view him as one of their most critical assets. Still, given Isak’s non-involvement in the preseason and start of training, Isak’s commitment to the team must be in question.
Isak’s Current Status
Alexander Isak has been missing from all of Newcastle’s friendly preparations this summer including their pre-season tour to Asia. His objection to attending as part of the first team is noteworthy. It arrives in time as well—literally—with Newcastle preparing for their first match against Aston Villa that afternoon.
Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s head coach, has ruled Isak out of contention for the weekend. That’s the way this unfortunate situation has languished for decades. In response to questions from members, Howe has underscored that there’s a very slim chance of a near-term fix.
“There is no change to the situation. All my focus has been on the training, Aston Villa and the transfer front in terms of getting players in – that is all-consuming for me. Alex’s situation has been unchanged for a while and that will continue to be the case.” – Eddie Howe
Moving Forward Without Isak
Howe readily admits to Isak’s importance to the team, but he focuses on the need to look past that without him. He told that the team needs to put their energy into the next game and not think about Isak’s absence right now.
“We do [have to forget about Isak] – he’s not here with us.” – Eddie Howe
Rather than throw in the towel with Isak’s non-compliance, Newcastle are working hard to find alternatives. The club are said to be working on bringing in Brentford’s Wissa on a permanent deal to solve that. Wissa camp has been ready to surmount personal terms as soon as club-to-club deal is done.
Future Prospects
The future of Alexander Isak remains one of the biggest question marks for Newcastle. Howe has emphasized that his priority lies with training and preparing the team for their match against Aston Villa, as well as navigating the transfer market.
The prospective signing of Wissa could provide a much-needed boost for the club’s spirits. They need to find an agreement with Brentford first, who are reportedly already in search of successors for Wissa.
“Me and Alex have enjoyed a great relationship. I don’t think he would have done as well as he has done without that. Without his team-mates, without the supporters.” – Eddie Howe
Leave a Reply