Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has admitted the club is facing a “lose-lose” situation in the ongoing transfer saga surrounding star striker Alexander Isak.
The Swedish international, who finished as the Premier League’s second top scorer last season and scored the winner in Newcastle’s League Cup triumph in March, publicly declared his desire to leave the club earlier this week amid strong interest from Liverpool.
Newcastle responded with an official statement denying Isak’s claims that promises made to him had been broken. Reports suggest the dispute stems from an alleged pledge to improve his contract, which Newcastle delayed due to financial sustainability rules.
Liverpool have reportedly had a £110 million ($148 million) bid rejected, with Newcastle demanding a British transfer record fee of £150 million for the 25-year-old forward. The two sides meet in the Premier League on Monday, but Isak will not feature as he continues to train separately from the first team.
“I think it is a lose-lose situation to a degree for us because I don’t think we can come out of this winning in any situation,” Howe said during his pre-match press conference. “It’s been an unfortunate few months that looks like it is coming to an end. And it will come to an end pretty quickly and then we can focus on the football again.”
With the transfer window closing on September 1, Howe hinted that Isak could still be reintegrated into the squad if a move does not materialize. “Alex is a fantastic player, he’s a good person, a good character and a good lad. If Alex wanted to come back and play for us, the players would welcome him,” Howe added.
Newcastle are currently seeking a replacement, with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen topping their shortlist after failed attempts to land Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko, and Joao Pedro.
