'We hope to have our best player back' - Bruno Guimaraes 'really missing' Alexander Isak as Newcastle captain admits he's had 'no contact' with exiled striker amid Liverpool transfer saga

Isak has made it clear he wants to swap St James’ Park for Anfield. Earlier this month, Liverpool tested Newcastle’s resolve with a staggering £110 million ($148m) bid, which was immediately rebuffed. Since then, Isak has been training alone, away from the first-team group, as speculation intensifies around his future.

Liverpool are reportedly preparing a second bid worth more than £130m ($175m), with add-ons pushing the potential package closer to £140m ($188.5m). The Reds, however, remain adamant they will not reach Newcastle’s lofty £150m ($202m) valuation, insisting they have already pushed their budget to the brink. With Mohamed Salah now 33 and the club’s next generation beginning to take shape, head coach Arne Slot sees Isak as the missing piece of his front line.

Speaking to ESPN Brazil after the 3-2 defeat at St. James' Park, Guimaraes said: "I haven't had any contact with him. We've been training in the mornings, and he trains at a different time, when no one from the team is around. As captain, and for us as players, it's a tough situation because we want to have the best players with us. But that's something we can't control; the club, the management, the owners are dealing with it, and I hope it gets sorted out in the best way."

Isak bagged 23 Premier League goals last season, and his absence has left a gaping hole in Newcastle’s attack, with Guimaraes openly admitting: "We're really missing our striker, a player who scored more than 20 goals in the Premier League last season, so of course he's someone we feel the absence of. We hope to have our best player back, but unfortunately, this is a situation that neither I nor any other player can control."

Saturday brings another test as Newcastle face Leeds United, a fixture they dare not lose with momentum slipping away. And with less than a week until the transfer window slams shut, time is running out for a resolution on Isak's future. Liverpool’s relentless pursuit and Newcastle’s stubborn resistance have created one of the biggest storylines of the summer.