Eddie Howe admits he won’t have final say on Alexander Isak future at Newcastle

Eddie Howe has admitted he will not have the final say over striker Alexander Isak’s future at Newcastle.

The 25-year-old Sweden international is currently training by himself after taking no part in the club’s Sela Cup fixtures against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid this weekend, having missed the Magpies’ trip to Singapore and South Korea amid Liverpool’s ongoing interest in him.

Newcastle have rejected a £110million offer for Isak, who has three years remaining on his contract, from the Anfield club out of hand, but his situation remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Asked after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Atleti at St James’ Park if he may have to let the player go, Howe said: “That’s a decision that I won’t make, that will be for other people to make.

“For me, I’m just trying to manage the situation and manage the team, most importantly manage the group of players that I’m working with day to day, that I love coaching and helping.

“We’re focusing on [next weekend’s Premier League opener against] Aston Villa. Everything else, to a degree, from my perspective is not in my control, so it’s not my focus.”

Asked further about a report that Isak had been told he will not be sold this summer, Howe added: “That’s not something I’m aware of. Of course, there’s discussions going on all the time that I’m not party to. I have no knowledge of that.”

The Magpies, who signed Isak from Real Sociedad in a £63m swoop during the summer of 2022, have placed a £150m price tag on his head in an effort to ward off potential suitors, but face a major task to persuade the player to continue his career at St James’.

Asked if he believed he could talk his star frontman round, head coach Howe said: “If it was that easy, I’d have done it yesterday.”

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