Howe doubles down on Newcastle stance against Isak, said was never told he could leave Newcastle this summer.
Eddie Howe doubles down and says Newcastle never told Isak he could leave this summer.
Howe has refuted reports that he promised Alexander Isak a move out of Newcastle this summer, but he did say it could be better for everyone if the striker left.
In the ten days since the striker’s tearful Instagram post about “broken promises,” there have been rumours that Newcastle’s manager told Isak he would be free to join Liverpool once a replacement was signed. However, Howe has strongly denied that idea.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I never make any promises to any players regarding transfers because, ultimately, I’m not in control of the whole thing. I would never make a promise like that to any player.”
However, Liverpool is now able to make a record deal for Isak. Newcastle nearly succeeded in acquiring the £70 million striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart. Their summer-long chase of the Swede, who refused to practice with Howe’s club for the majority of the offseason, might come to an end with a bid close to £130 million.
Some Newcastle executives had been set on keeping Isak until last week, but they have since softened their position significantly. At Isak’s Northumberland residence on Monday, the atmosphere changed when representatives of the majority stakeholders, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, joined the club’s minority owner Jamie Reuben. We know that Isak was uninterested in the prospect of a lucrative new contract. He also resisted their attempts to mediate a reconciliation.
Howe tried to play a straight bat, but he said that Isak’s adamant refusal to play for Newcastle ever again meant that this might be the ideal time for a highly skilled player he had originally planned to keep to leave Tyneside.
“Of course I would have a preference,” he said regarding whether Isak remained or departed. “But ultimately you have got to look at all the information. I have a footballing preference but then you have to take everything else into account. You can’t just be oblivious to things that have happened.
“But I have no control over it. That’s for other people to decide. I’m not in control of those discussions. I’m focusing on trying to bring new players into the team.”