Eddie Howe admits Alexander Isak unlikely to feature in Premier League opener against Aston Villa with Newcastle star continuing to push for Liverpool move

Isak returned to Newcastle’s training base on Monday after missing the team’s pre-season tour. However, instead of joining his teammates, Isak has been working on an individual schedule, following instructions from Howe. He was left out of Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Espanyol, their penultimate friendly, where William Osula led the attack.

Liverpool have already tested Newcastle’s resolve with a £110 million ($148m) bid plus add-ons, which the Magpies rejected on August 1. Amid the ongoing transfer uncertainty, Howe has refused to commit to a date for Isak’s return to the first-team fold, confirming only that there will be no resolution before their opener at Villa Park next Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, Howe said: "I'd want Alex to be playing today, I'd want him training tomorrow. We would love the player to be with us - let me make that absolutely clear. There's no part of me that doesn't want that outcome. But I don't see that changing before Aston Villa, the current situation we're in."

The Newcastle boss revealed that he has held private discussions with the striker in an effort to find common ground. 

"We've had discussions, and it's clear at the moment we can't have him involved with the group," said Howe. "I don't know how long that will be for. It's clear I can't involve him with the team at the moment. He is training later than the rest of the squad. There have been discussions since the tour. I don't think disciplinary action has happened."

Before reuniting with Newcastle in England, Isak had been keeping fit by training individually at Real Sociedad’s facilities, the club where he spent three seasons prior to moving to St James’ Park in 2022. His absence from Newcastle’s Asian pre-season tour only added fuel to speculation about his future. When asked directly if the striker has a future at the club, Howe was unequivocal.

"He is here, so of course he has a future at Newcastle," he said. "From our perspective, we would love to have him back with the team, but the situation has to be right for that to happen. He doesn't have a fitness issue. I'm aware of a feeling within the squad that there's something there not to the benefit of the group."

Isak’s uncertainty comes during a frustrating transfer window for Newcastle, whose recruitment efforts have stalled. One of the most significant setbacks was missing out on RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko. The highly rated striker is in the UK to finalise a move to Manchester United in a deal worth an initial £66.3 million (€76.5m), with a further £7.37 million (€8.5m) in performance-related add-ons.

Sesko’s snub adds to an increasingly long list of near-misses for Newcastle this summer. They have already failed to secure Dean Huijsen, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, James Trafford, and Hugo Ekitike, with seven of these players opting for Premier League rivals.