Downbeat Howe ‘doesn’t Know What Future Holds’ For Isak At Newcastle

Alexander Isak’s aged poster boy image has been removed from nan plateglass windows of Newcastle’s nine shop and, judging by Eddie Howe’s demeanour connected Friday night, nan Sweden striker could soon beryllium erased from nan attacking rotation call.

Isak, presently engaged successful a standoff pinch nan nine arsenic he tries to force a move to Liverpool, was obscurity to beryllium seen arsenic Newcastle drew 2-2 pinch Espanyol successful a St James’ Park friendly. Not that his absence prevented nan night’s subtext being each astir nan man who was not there.

Afterwards Howe admitted he “does not cognize what nan early holds” for Isak aft revealing he will proceed to train successful isolation adjacent week. “We’ve had discussions and it’s clear we can’t impact him successful nan group astatine nan moment,” said Newcastle’s manager. “I don’t cognize really agelong that will last. He is training later than nan remainder of nan squad.

“From our position we’d for illustration to spot him backmost pinch nan squad but nan business has to beryllium correct for nan team. He’s contracted to america so, of course, there’s a chance he could play for Newcastle again. But I don’t cognize what nan early holds.”

Given Newcastle’s ongoing struggles to motion a replacement, Howe was asked if he could simply insist that a subordinate who swerved nan club’s pre-season circuit of Singapore and South Korea should honour his woody but nan manager, who said he did not deliberation nan committee had yet disciplined nan 25-year-old, demurred. “It’s not that straightforward,” he said. “We’d person done that if we could but we’re not presently successful a position to do that.

“The squad has, of course, been disrupted by this. But that doesn’t mean we can’t flooded this and travel backmost moreover stronger.”

Matt Targett heads Newcastle level against Espanyol successful Friday’s friends astatine St James’ Park. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

The show of much than 20,000 quiet seats connected Friday nighttime astatine a customarily afloat arena will siren Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian ownership but nan sparse crowd was arguably much astir Howe redeeming astir of his first XI for Saturday afternoon’s 2nd La Liga friends against Atlético Madrid than an outright mutiny astatine an admittedly dismal transportation model up of a Champions League campaign.

In Isak’s absence, and pinch his chap striker Callum Wilson having moved to West Ham, nan endearingly enthusiastic but hugely inexperienced Will Osula led nan attacking statement arsenic Newcastle, pinch nan outstanding Lewis Miley looking for illustration an England cardinal midfielder successful nan making, were near without a triumph successful this troubled pre-season.

With a decent striker connected nan transportation they would arguably person won. The only problem is that nan full No 9 type look to person developed an allergy to Tyneside. Bryan Mbeumo, João Pedro, Liam Delap and Benjamin Sesko rank among those forwards who person turned Newcastle down and nan St James’ Park committee will not countenance trading Isak to Anfield for a sum good successful excess of £110m until 2 caller attacking faces are secured.

With nan transportation window’s closure accelerated approaching it is each turning into a title against nan clock, not to mention a crippled of who blinks first. Despite excluding Isak from a training crushed barbecue past week successful nan aftermath of nan striker’s unsanctioned travel to train unsocial astatine his aged nine Real Sociedad, Howe still does not cognize wherever nan striker who scored 27 goals for him past play will beryllium playing erstwhile Liverpool sojourn astatine nan extremity of nan month.

Eddie Howe watches arsenic his Newcastle squad tie 2-2 pinch Espanyol astatine St James’ Park. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/Reuters

Despite, albeit weakening, protestations to nan contrary, Howe’s demeanour suggested that he feels he, and his dressing room, would beryllium infinitely amended disconnected without a subordinate who has evidently checked out, mentally astatine least, from Tyneside. It would surely beryllium overmuch amended to reinvest Liverpool’s interest connected immoderate decent caller players – nan Coventry midfielder Jack Rudoni anyone? – and create a caller leader aliases two.

Although past night’s bully humoured, family dominated, crowd of conscionable complete 30,000 was not precisely emblematic of nan much vehemently partisan Premier League crew, location is simply a consciousness that galore Newcastle fans person already loosened nan affectional ties that until very precocious bound them tightly to Isak. Granted they consciousness much than a small fto down but location is simply a temper of almost shrugging acceptance that Liverpool person turned his caput and they will ne'er singing their erstwhile anthem, “Gimme, gimme a striker from Sweden” Abba style again.

Should Yoane Wissa, Ollie Watkins, Nicolas Jackson – (not that Newcastle fans look overly keen connected him) – Jørgen Strand Larsen, Samu Aghehowa, Gonçalo Ramos aliases immoderate different imaginable attacking recruits commencement scoring regularly it will surely beryllium a lawsuit of “the king is dead, agelong unrecorded nan king”.

In immoderate lawsuit Howe already has a Targett connected his side. Matt, a seasoned full-back, operating connected nan near of a midfield three, discovered his latent Isak streak arsenic he met Miley’s transverse to caput Newcastle level aft Edu Expósito has expertly half-volleyed Espanyol into nan lead. After that Newcastle’s awesome debutant successful goal, Southampton loanee Aaron Ramsdale, saved Javi Puado’s punishment earlier Murphy’s extremity preceded Kike García’s deserved leveller.

There is evidently overmuch activity to beryllium done connected Tyneside earlier adjacent weekend’s Premier League opener astatine Aston Villa. “The equilibrium of our squad isn’t rather right,” said Howe. “But I’m hopeful we tin set that successful nan adjacent mates of weeks.”