Howe’s Dilemma As Newcastle’s Saudi Owners Can’t Ignore Case To Sell Isak

Amid nan jungle of super-skyscrapers dominating Riyadh’s financial district, 1 building soars supra nan rest. From nan higher floors of nan 385-metre PIF Tower, labor tin crippled their adjacent woody while gazing down connected a glass-curtained canopy of concrete, alloy and polished marble.

For Yasir al-Rumayyan, nan politician of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and nan chair of Newcastle United, nan apical of this striking, 80-storey crystalline building is simply a spot wherever metaphorical blue-sky reasoning meets reality.

The bad news for Eddie Howe is that nan business lawsuit for trading Alexander Isak to Liverpool this summertime is surely acold excessively persuasive for Rumayyan and his colleagues to ignore.

In an perfect world Newcastle’s head would support nan Sweden centre-forward while acquiring nan France Under-21 striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt earlier a Champions League campaign. Given that Liverpool, for illustration Newcastle, person made contact pinch Eintracht complete Ekitike and look wished to get nan Frenchman aliases Isak that script seems unlikely.

The connection from Newcastle – and it is said to originate “right from nan very top” successful Riyadh – has consistently been that Isak will not beryllium sold this year. Indeed, nan connection is that Howe wants to deviate from his preferred, winger-heavy 4-3-3 and play Isak and Ekitike successful attacking tandem.

But, moreover earlier contemplating nan reality that insisting thing aliases personification is not for waste astatine immoderate value is often a precursor to driving a difficult bargain, that expected stance begs rather a fewer questions.

Hugo Ekitike, who scored 22 goals past play for Eintracht Frankfurt, has already been a target doubly for Eddie Howe astatine Newcastle. Photograph: Ronald Wittek/EPA-EFE

First and foremost why, soon aft Howe and nine officials met Isak’s agent, did Newcastle abruptly move their attraction from imaginable £30m replacements for Isak’s erstwhile understudy Callum Wilson to much costly targets and extremity up offering Eintracht Frankfurt approaching £70m for Ekitike? Was it really axenic coincidence?

And why has location not been immoderate announcement of Isak entering long-mooted summertime negotiations to widen a statement that runs until 2028? Even if a subordinate who scored 23 goals successful 34 Premier League appearances past play declined to sign, a woody could surely beryllium discussed.

Although Isak is highly good paid astatine astir £150,000 a week, talks regarding a planned salary summation past summertime were postponed arsenic Newcastle struggled to enactment connected nan correct broadside of Premier League spending rules. Much improved position look his for nan taking now but possibly that infinitesimal has passed and Isak would alternatively move to pastures new.

Newcastle person agelong suspected that he would diminution an hold this summer, and their original scheme was to support him for 1 much play and waste precocious successful 12 months. But Ekitike’s wages would almost surely beryllium somewhat cheaper and, astatine conscionable turned 23, he is almost 3 years younger than Isak. Throw successful immoderate stylistic similarities successful nan pair’s games – for a commencement some for illustration to drift to nan near and suit counterattacking strategies – and nan truth that Ekitike is little wounded prone and nan lawsuit for doing a woody pinch Liverpool becomes ever much persuasive.

Then there’s Howe’s narration pinch Richard Hughes. Newcastle’s head and Liverpool’s sporting head are bully friends, stemming from their days together astatine Bournemouth. Although Liverpool contradict making a general attack for Isak, nan truth that intermediaries person subtly made clear that Arne Slot’s committee would beryllium prepared to salary astir £120m for Howe’s prize possession suggests they person received encouragement, nevertheless tacit, from someone, somewhere.

Eddie Howe (left) welcomes caller signing of Anthony Elanga to Newcastle, but really galore different players will nan nine negociate to motion this summer? Photograph: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United/Getty Images

With Paul Mitchell having stepped down arsenic Newcastle’s sporting head this summertime and Darren Eales, nan main executive, owed to depart connected wellness grounds, Andy Howe, nan manager’s nephew, has a cardinal domiciled successful recruitment. It whitethorn aliases whitethorn not beryllium important that he besides knows Hughes well.

With Darwin Núñez seemingly apt to subordinate Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal aliases Napoli, Liverpool’s copy liking successful Isak and Ekitike intends it is adjacent intolerable to envisage some players wearing achromatic and achromatic stripes adjacent season.

Given PIF’s gargantuan wealthiness it mightiness each beryllium very different without profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) but those spending regulations person arguably made trading good moreover much important than buying cleverly.

Newcastle narrowly avoided a PSR breach past June and, moreover though their financial position is healthier, nan club’s commercialized gross streams still person immoderate catching up to do pinch those of Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal.

With Newcastle having paid Nottingham Forest £55m for nan Sweden right-winger Anthony Elanga this summer, they cannot walk large without trading smartly. Considering Howe needs a right-sided cardinal defender and a goalkeeper – negotiations pinch Burnley are inching towards a £30m-plus woody for James Trafford – successful summation to replacing nan Leeds-bound Sean Longstaff successful midfield, thing is going to person to give.

Accordingly if Newcastle tin waste Isak for almost double nan near-£65m they paid Real Sociedad for him it would bespeak highly good connected their PSR equilibrium sheet. The attendant financial wriggle room would thief money nan acquisition of a cardinal striker arsenic screen for Ekitike aliases whoever joins arsenic nan first choice, and possibly moreover a move for Coventry’s Jack Rudoni, an attacking midfielder overmuch coveted by Howe.

It each leaves nan shot firmly successful Eintracht’s court. The German nine are noted arsenic reliable negotiators and dream for much than Ekitike’s £87m merchandise clause. Bundesliga strikers person not ever fared overly good successful nan Premier League but nan Frenchman scored 22 goals past season, including 15 successful nan convention to thief Eintracht suffice for nan Champions League. In 2022 he was Newcastle’s apical attacking target, up of moreover Isak. Howe has doubly tried, and failed, to bargain him.

Liverpool person nan pulling powerfulness and financial clout to tempt Ekitike to play for Slot alternatively than Howe but is Isak nan striker Slot really wants?

One point is clear. If Newcastle cannot motion Ekitike nan stack of cards collapses and it becomes intolerable to ideate anyone successful PIF Tower approving Isak’s sale.