Howe confident about Isak staying despite interest hotting up for the signature of the Swedish international.
Howe confident Isak will stay at Newcastle after striker left out of thrashing by Celtic.
Despite leaving Alexander Isak out of a preseason thumping by Celtic due to rumours about his future, Eddie Howe is certain the striker will remain at Newcastle this summer.
Despite being healthy, Isak did not play in Saturday’s 4-0 loss at Celtic Park. According to the Newcastle manager, the decision was made in part to control the striker’s preseason playing time and in part due to recent transfer rumours.
The Premier League champions are willing to spend a British record transfer fee to make the Sweden international their new number nine, confirming Liverpool’s long-standing interest in him this week.
After learning that Isak is not for sale, Liverpool has recently focused on Hugo Ekitike, a forward for Eintracht Frankfurt and a target for Newcastle. With a deal anticipated to be finalised next week, the champions are still negotiating a price for Ekitike, who is believed to have a €100 million (£87 million) release clause in his Eintracht contract.
Isak has three years left on his contract, and Howe acknowledged Newcastle is “desperate” to keep him, but he also said he was unable to provide “100% clarity” on any player’s future.
The Newcastle manager said of the striker’s absence in Glasgow: “It was my decision. He travelled back to Glasgow with us but I decided to send him home due to the speculation around him. The last thing he wanted is to be sat in the stand watching, that wasn’t fair to him. But I’m confident he will be a Newcastle player come the end of the window.”
Howe, who also omitted Joelinton against the Scottish champions, added: “It’s difficult for me to give 100% clarity on any player. Alex is happy at Newcastle, he loves the players, the staff, the team. I’m confident he’ll be here at the start of the season. Yes, I’ve had discussions with him but that’s not abnormal. I respect a player’s career and how short it is. Alex has been really good, he’s trained really well and I realise there’ll be noise around him.”