Alexander Isak Ordered To Miss Newcastle Barbecue And Train Alone

Alexander Isak’s standoff pinch Newcastle escalated connected Wednesday erstwhile nan striker was ordered to train separately from his teammates and enactment distant from a lunchtime training-ground barbecue.

Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s manager, had organised nan gathering for not only his players and unit but their partners and children but it is understood Isak was told to hold his presence for solitary training until later successful nan afternoon.

The remainder of nan first-team squad had earlier been put done their paces by Howe connected Wednesday greeting arsenic they reconvened for nan first clip since stepping disconnected a adjacent 15-hour formation from Seoul soon aft 8am connected Monday.

Isak was besides absent from that pre-season travel to Singapore and South Korea arsenic nan Sweden guardant attempted to unit done a transportation to Liverpool. Although nan nine claimed a insignificant thigh strain had prevented him boarding nan team’s backstage charter level to south-east Asia, scans indicated nary grounds of injury.

Rather than train and/or person curen astatine Newcastle, Isak flew to bluish Spain and his erstwhile nine Real Sociedad, wherever he trained unsocial for overmuch of past week. Howe said he learned of this expedition done nan media and, earlier leaving Seoul, told journalists that players exhibiting “poor behaviour” could forfeit nan correct to train pinch his squad.

“You person to gain nan correct to train pinch us,” he said. “We’re Newcastle United. Players person a work to beryllium portion of a squad and a squad. No subordinate tin expect to enactment poorly and train pinch nan group. You person to enactment successful nan correct way.”

Liverpool person had a £110m bid for Isak rejected but Newcastle judge they will return pinch a higher connection erstwhile Howe has recovered a suitable replacement. That quest has proved frustrating, pinch his latest target, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, poised to subordinate Manchester United.

Isak was owed to meet Newcastle’s head astatine nan training crushed for talks connected Wednesday, erstwhile his thigh was besides scheduled to beryllium inspected by nan aesculapian team.

Regardless of whether he is reintegrated into first-team training, Isak seems improbable to beryllium progressive successful nan Sela Cup astatine St James’ Park, wherever Newcastle look 2 La Liga sides, Espanyol connected Friday nighttime and Atlético Madrid connected Saturday afternoon.

By past Newcastle’s striker hunt – and, should Isak leave, they will request 2 – is apt to person ramped up, pinch PSG’s Gonçalo Ramos, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson imaginable recruits.

Howe is besides successful nan marketplace for a right-sided cardinal defender and reports successful Italy suggested Milan person rejected a £26m bid from Newcastle for their 23-year-old Germany defender Malick Thiaw. Although it seems that was much an exploratory connection than a general approach, nan north-east nine person a longstanding liking successful nan versatile Thiaw.