Eddie Howe has conceded that he will not have the final say on Alexander Isak's future at Newcastle United, with the striker's situation shrouded in uncertainty amid interest from Liverpool. The 25-year-old Sweden international has been training alone after missing the club's pre-season tour to Singapore and South Korea, and did not feature in the Sela Cup fixtures against Espanyol and Atlético Madrid.
Newcastle have rejected a £110m offer from Liverpool for Isak, who has three years remaining on his contract, but the club's head coach admits the decision is beyond his control. Asked after Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Atlético at St James' Park if he might 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.'
Howe added: '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 Aston Villa. Everything else, to a degree, from my perspective is not in my control, so it's not my focus.'
Newcastle have placed a £150m price tag on Isak in an effort to deter suitors, but face a challenge to persuade the player to stay. When asked if he could talk his star forward round, Howe replied: 'If it was that easy, I'd have done it yesterday.' The saga has added urgency to Newcastle's transfer window, which has encountered setbacks with targets Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitiké, James Trafford and João Pedro slipping away.
Howe also provided an update on Anthony Gordon, who limped off during the friendly with an ankle problem, saying: 'It's an ankle problem. We initially maybe thought it was a muscle problem, but the good news is I think it was just a twist, so the initial feeling is he should be OK.' Meanwhile, Newcastle are closing in on a deal for Milan defender Malick Thiaw, though Howe admitted he was not updated on the latest developments.
