Newcastle United

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

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You suspect Eddie Howe will be glad to see the back of this draining transfer window.

"I will be pleased when it's here," the Newcastle United head coach said in his pre-match news conference. "If we have what we want."

That remains a big if, of course.

With just a week and a half left until deadline day, there is no doubt what Newcastle want. And that is a quality replacement for Callum Wilson.

Finding one has proved difficult, of course, since Wilson left the club last month at the end of his contract, and the Magpies have had multiple bids rejected for Brentford star Yoane Wissa.

The Wissa pursuit illustrates the challenge the club have faced to recruit one striker – let alone an additional centre-forward capable of filling Alexander Isak's sizeable boots.

Isak may want out – the Swede has repeatedly made that clear – but Newcastle do not foresee the "conditions of sale" being met given the lack of viable alternatives available.

And that is before even addressing the possibility of Liverpool even making the sort of offer that actually gives Newcastle a decision to make.

Where does that leave the Tyneside club? In a "lose-lose" situation as far as Howe is concerned.

Either Newcastle lose Isak with so little time left in the window to find a worthy replacement or they are left with a wantaway player who has to, somehow, be reintegrated.

It is rather telling that Howe has not spoken to Isak since his explosive statement on Tuesday night, but the head coach has been consistent throughout this saga that the door remains open to the striker.

Howe even recognised on Friday that there are "two sides to every story" before going on to make the distinction between the "regrettable" situation and Isak's daily conduct during his three years at the club.

Isak may have made his feelings clear but, clearly, Howe has not given up on the 25-year-old one day playing for the club again.

Even if that feels like a distant prospect right now.

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Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game against Liverpool at St James' Park (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• New signing Jacob Ramsey is available and "has been really impressive in his first few days" of training. Howe added that there are no new injury concerns.

• He said "there's been no change" with the Alexander Isak situation and "he wont be part of the squad for this weekend's game".

• Howe said he has not seen Isak this week but the striker "is training later on, detached from the group".

• Despite the ongoing situation, Howe said they both "speak as normal", adding "there are no issues between us".

• On how the situation is unfolding: "My preference for these things it that it doesn't happen publicly. Everything is better dealt with behind closed doors, but in this situation, needs must and in this situation the club has spoken and justifiably so in that moment."

• In response to whether Isak can return to the squad: "My wish is that he will be playing with us on Monday and 100% I want to see him back in a Newcastle shirt."

• He said his players "would welcome" Isak back into the fold if he does not leave but "there is no way of knowing" what will happen before the window closes. Howe added: "It's a lose-lose situation. I don't think we can come out of this winning in any situation."

• Howe said Anthony Gordon has played as a striker "enough to be able to do the job really well for the team" in the meantime and "has devastating pace" to be a challenge to play against.

• More on Gordon filling the striker void: "I think he enjoys the role and he played really well last week. He had a lot of chances and a lot of shots so I thought it was a good display from him."

• He said the club "are still working on replacing Callum Wilson" and that is their focus in the closing stages of the transfer window.

• On Monday's game against Liverpool: "The first home game is always going to be electric. I love experiencing those nights with the energy that the crowd bring us and I have no doubt that this will be a really passionate display from the home support."

• He said his players "need to harness that" passion and "use it but not be reckless with it". Howe added: "We need to concentrate on the game and not get too emotional."

• Howe also said that he "100% wants to see him (Isak) back in the Newcastle shirt."

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Wayne Rooney doesn't think "there is any way back for Alexander Isak at Newcastle" and if he was one of his team-mates then he wouldn't want him to be re-integrated either.

The clock on the transfer window is counting down but Isak remains in the North East despite going on strike and penning a strong Instagram post about moving on.

"If I'm a Newcastle player, I don't want Isak back," Rooney said on the BBC's Wayne Rooney Show. "I think if players leave football clubs - and that happens all the time - there's a way to go about it.

"You can't go on strike, can't not turn up for training and train with your team-mates.

"If you want to leave the club or not, you have to be there for your team-mates and be ready if needed. So I think if I was a player I wouldn't want him back.

"He's deserted you. He doesn't want to be there, he doesn't want to be your team-mate. So I wouldn't want him back.

"Now, Newcastle aren't happy with Isak's behaviour because Liverpool want to sign him. But then on the flip side of that, Newcastle are trying to sign Yoane Wissa who's behaving the exact same way at Brentford.

"I remember Anthony Gordon not playing for Everton because he wanted to go to Newcastle. So you can't have it both ways.

"But in terms of Isak's team-mates, I wouldn't want him back. Once you've overstepped the mark I think it's very difficult to come back in.

"You can ask to leave a football club - that happens - or the club tell you you're leaving. But you have to be professional.

"You've got friends in there who you play with, you have fans who are paying a lot of money to support and you can't just walk out on it. And if they're going to do it once, they'll do it again.

"For me, I don't think there's any way back for Isak at Newcastle. I think there are cases where it can happen, but from me as a person, don't think I could accept them back."

Listen to the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sounds

Newcastle United are preparing for Liverpool to return with a new bid of between £120-130m for 25-year-old Sweden forward Alexander Isak. (Teamtalk), external

Wolves are facing a fight to keep Norway striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, as Newcastle continue to push to sign the 25-year-old for around £60m. (Express and Star), external

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Former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown says Alexander Isak " shouldn't just walk straight back into the team" if his desired move away from Newcastle does not materialise.

The club's statement in response to Isak's own on Tuesday says the wantaway striker "remains part of our family and will be welcomed back when he is ready to rejoin his team-mates".

"What's frustrating for a teammate is you start the season and he's in the building but not even at training," Brown told the Football Daily podcast.

"The first thing Isak should be doing is always be fully behind everything his teammates are doing. I think that's only an honourable and right thing to do to go and give that support.

"I do understand when it comes to game days where you can start going 'well, if I get injured here then I could miss this dream move'. That's the danger.

"But, in regards to respect to everybody, I think the dressing room will be disappointed during these first couple of games about how the whole thing is all about him rather than about the success and drive they have at the start of the season and how hard they've worked.

"It's not helping the recruitment side of things. His teammates will want to see bodies coming in. If I'm there am I looking over my shoulder and thinking 'we're not going to be the team that gets top four or five'?

"I'd be trying to get a hold of him and trying to get him back in but it's gone too far now to where this is a real mess. Newcastle have said he'd be welcome back at any point. I think that's also dangerous and not the right message.

"I would tell Isak he can stay where he is if that is his opinion and we'll sort it out at some point. He shouldn't just walk straight back into the team I don't think."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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BBC Senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel says he "can't see any other outcome" other than Liverpool making a fresh approach for Alexander Isak next week, but only after the Reds play Newcastle at St James' Park on Monday.

The trading of statements between club and player on Tuesday evening has intensified speculation over the Sweden striker's future.

"Nothing can happen before the game," Mokbel told the Football Daily podcast.

"But, I'd be flabbergasted if Liverpool don't make some sort of approach next week for Alexander Isak.

"In my mind there was no way Liverpool didn't know he would release that statement. So, after he did that I can't see any other outcome but Liverpool making another offer or some sort of approach for him next week.

"Whether that's successful or not will depend on the level of money they're prepared to put into the pot. If Liverpool have to continue to up their offer, then there's only a certain amount of money to go round.

"The more they put into the transfer fee, the less you'd imagine they'd be able to pay Isak at Anfield. There's certainly a catch 22 situation there.

"I can't imagine a situation where he sits out an entire season. It sounds absolutely ludicrous to me for someone in the prime of their career to throw away a season because he didn't get his dream move."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Charlotte Robson
Fan writer

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I'm as sick as talking about Alexander Isak as any Newcastle fan after this summer. It has been totally blighted by the saga around him wanting to leave, not being able to leave, not being for sale, being for sale at the right price etc etc.

With that in mind, I'm just going to talk about Alexander Isak for a bit.

The reason for this - if you don't frequent the Newcastle United corner of the internet (you do, you're here) - is because on Tuesday night he released a little statement saying he was promised things and the relationship with the club has broken down as a result of those promises not being upheld.

He had been quiet for the duration of this saga. Blessed silence. How I miss it.

Before this, the sentiment in the fanbase seemed to be: OK, he has behaved badly this summer but he is still a brilliant player and we want him to reintegrate. It is reasonably safe to say that sentiment has been eroded.

The club response, short and sweet, suggested Newcastle expect him to return to his team-mates and work with the squad. I don't know how realistic that is - though if anyone can do it, Eddie Howe can.

To the supporters, though, he has some serious grovelling to do. Newcastle fans reward loyalty. We love it when players 'get' our club. It seems obvious Isak does not.

Where do we go from here? Continue the conversation through public written responses?

However this plays out, it isn't going to be pretty. It already seems quite ugly. Just in time for us to play Liverpool at St James' Park on Monday night!

All eyes on that game - and no doubt the atmosphere will be very spicy no matter how the next few days go.

Find more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

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Brentford forward Yoane Wissa wants to join Newcastle, who need reinforcement up front, given the current stand-off between the club and star striker Alexander Isak. The Magpies have made their move with an improved £40m bid.

The 28-year-old Wissa has form in replacing big names, having had an impressive 2024-25 campaign filling the void left by Ivan Toney's £40m departure to the Saudi Pro League last summer, a sale which heralded a change in Wissa's role for Brentford.

He moved from an attacking midfield or support striker position to centre-forward and, as a result, was far more involved in the penalty box.

This change in emphasis resulted in the best scoring campaign of the DR Congo international's 12-season senior league career, with all 19 of his Premier League goals coming from inside the box.

The DR Congo international ranked second overall for open-play goals in 2024-25, level with Isak, and ahead of the likes of former team-mate and new Manchester United man Bryan Mbeumo and his fellow Old Trafford colleague Matheus Cunha.

It is a theme of Wissa's top-flight career, with all 45 of his Premier League goals having been scored from open play.

Newcastle looked in need of a cutting edge in their Premier League opener at Aston Villa last weekend, and Wissa's haul of 19 league goals last season makes him an attractive proposition – if the price is right.

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Newcastle United fan Kendall Rowan speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle about Alexander Isak's future.

She was initially asked if the striker will feature in the famous black and white stripes again.

"I was very steadfast in saying that no, probably we wouldn't," says Kendall.

"Eddie Howe, he likes the personality, the the way that players conduct themselves. And obviously Alex hasn't really done that very well in the last few weeks with this saga. So I I don't know if he ever plays again. I think we've been really good in kind of leaving that door. Hoping from our side with Eddie backing him in the major and saying there is a way back if Alex wants that, but that's up to Alex.

"We've been very much putting the onus on to him for wanting to leave. So there probably is a way - football's very fickle. And if he performs well and apologises and signs a new deal, I feel like maybe there's a very, very small percentage. But the disrespect that he's shown to the club and to the fanbase I just think is so hard to ignore and a lot of people will find that very, very difficult to forgive because he is still under contract and he has not fulfilled that contract as of now.

"So missing league games, we can't like plan for the future because we don't know whether he's going to stay, whether he's going to go. So, yes, it's just been very difficult. He's let a lot of people down. I'm just so disappointed in how he's behaved."

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Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Lesley, Football Extra reader, asked me: With reference to the Alexander Isak situation, as a player in the dressing room with him, when would you consider a line to have been crossed that means he would not be welcomed back into the team? Missing training, missing a match, missing two... ?

A lot depends on the player, the personality and the way he has behaved. The team will find it hard to fully forgive their errant wantaway team-mate if he is hurting the group, but turning on him totally is different. This is where we are with Alexander Isak right now: they can't use him if he refuses to play and they can't replace him if he isn't sold. Everyone is suffering.

Within the squad, everyone knows it is just brinkmanship on both sides; we have all been there to a greater or lesser degree when moving clubs. When the business is about the money, it almost invariably gets uglier the longer it goes on.‌

The end of the transfer window is getting closer. Isak will be listening to his advisors. He has to know that however unhappy, uncomfortable and unpopular he is just now, if this works out for him and he ends up at Liverpool soon, then in his eyes it will have all been worth it... with bells on.

What the former team-mates think of him will matter little; it is what his new team-mates think that then matters.

Football is generally selfish and there is little loyalty from either clubs or players when it doesn't suit them. One outlook I'm sure Isak would like to be shared just now is that, from his perspective, he arrived costing £60m, did a fine job, scored more than 60 goals three seasons. If he leaves, Newcastle will probably have doubled their money. That isn't a bad return for his services.‌

There is little point in Newcastle - or indeed any football club - trying to claim the moral high ground. Right now, Yoane Wissa is not playing for Brentford because he is hoping for a move to Newcastle. How radically different is that to Isak's situation?‌

Players know this is how it works and it is why the Newcastle dressing room might be very disappointed in Isak, but they will not necessarily turn on him, because next season it might just be them in the same situation.

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Football finance writer Chris Wetherspoon says Newcastle are in a "much better position" in terms of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) than they were year ago but selling Alexander Isak would open up the opportunity to sign "four or five serious players".

Both the club and Isak have released statements on the ongoing transfer saga with the only official approach for the Sweden international a £110m bid from Liverpool at the start of August.

"Every team is restricted [by PSR] to differing levels but relative to what Newcastle have had in recent years no there isn't [restrictions]," Wetherspoon told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"Newcastle have spent around £70m in the last week so their transfer window has moved on from what it was but I don't think what was stopping them get people in was an inability to spend.

"They have scope to spend and also did have the scope to give Alexander Isak the money that he wanted. That doesn't mean that you go and do it, but within the rules they could have done.

"They are in a much better position than they were a year ago when it was clear for all to see they were flailing at the last minute.

"On Isak, if they were to sell him for a big amount of money, it would open up a huge amount of scope within the rules to go and spend. You could go and get four or five serious players in to bolster the team.

"The issue with that now is time. We've got less than two weeks left. The better case for Newcastle this summer would have been Isak leaving early for big money before teams had started spending big and there was a bidding war.

"Now, there is only really one team interested - Liverpool.

"But, they don't need to do it."

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We asked for your views on Alexander Isak and the statements exchanged between him and Newcastle United.

Here are some of your comments:

Paul: Isak didn't have to sign a contract with Newcastle for the term he signed for. His time at Newcastle is the reason his value visibility has increased. Whatever he thinks may have been said, it doesn't change the contract he signed. His current behaviour makes it clear his loyalty is to himself only. I'm not sure Liverpool will want him after he has shown his true colours.

David: If Isak wants out so much, why hasn't he handed in a transfer request?

Andrew: He's signed a contract, he should honour it.

Chris: Never mind a statement from Isak. The player should not have attended the PFA awards on the basis of their current behaviour falling well below the standards expected from a 'professional'.

Richard: Something about Isak's words feels disingenuous and I don't think he has gone about his desire for a transfer in a very skilful way. Given the breakdown in relationship, my sense is that Newcastle would let Isak go, regardless of new strikers, but only for the right price - business comes first. If the price is not met, it seems very difficult to achieve reintegration at this stage, but not impossible, so what happens next is anyone's guess.

Russell: It's all well and good a 'promise' being made but that doesn't mean we have to sell him below his value. If a club came in at £150m we'd probably sell but nobody did and we aren't going to sell him cheap just because he wants to leave and we 'promised' we'd let him. He needs to grow up and start acting like an adult.

Gerard: It's clear Isak is behaving poorly but I wonder if there is something in Isak's claim around broken promises. If a contract was promised then negotiations withdrawn then this is foolish. He is one of the best strikers in the world and what comes with that is the best pay in the world. Mitchell's poor management again seems at least partly to blame here. Isak not to be excused for this self sabotage though.

Sophie Brown
BBC Sport journalist

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Alexander Isak's impact at Newcastle has been immense.

Only he and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland have topped 20 Premier League goals in both the past two campaigns, with Isak's tally of 23 last season second only to Mohamed Salah. Isak's 27 goals in all competitions in 2024-25 included the decisive one in the EFL Cup final that earned Newcastle their first silverware for 70 years and he was named in the PFA team of the year.

The Mapgies' lack of cutting edge at Aston Villa on Saturday without the Swedish international was evident – the visitors had 16 shots but just three were on target, with Anthony Elanga and Anthony Gordon both spurning decent chances.

However, life without Isak might not be as bleak as fans fear. While Newcastle have won fewer games and scored fewer goals without him, they have earned more points per game when he has been absent.

Isak scored on his Newcastle debut – ironically against Liverpool, the club he is desperate to join – and his stream of goals since then has been a key part of their recent success. But the stats show that Eddie Howe is entitled to claim that Newcastle "are still a force" without their star striker – although there is no doubt they need to find a proven goalscorer to replace him.

Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

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To explain this we need to look at Newcastle's transfers so far.

After a frustrating summer window, their business has started to pick up.

They signed midfielder Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for £40m on Sunday, after securing AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw for a reported £34.6m earlier in the week.

This added to July's £55m signing of Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga and the loan signing of England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale early in August.

But there is one glaring omission.

None of these are strikers - and they really needed one before Alexander Isak's future was thrown into question after the departure of Callum Wilson.

Sources have told BBC Sport one reason there hasn't yet been a follow-up bid is that any move would be reliant on Newcastle getting two strikers through the door.

Newcastle have maintained publicly that Isak isn't for sale, but Liverpool know they are looking for two strikers for a reason.

When - or perhaps if - Newcastle get those two signings in, Liverpool are expected to ramp up their interest with another bid.

Sources say the next offer will be a minimum £120m. At the moment, though, it's a waiting game.

Read more on the saga here

Alexander Isak and Newcastle United have exchanged words regarding the striker's future. You can read them all below.

So what do you think will happen now? Will he join Liverpool or stay put?

Get in touch with your views here

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Alexander Isak has spoken publicly for the first time since his future became the biggest talking point this summer.

Liverpool had a £110m bid rejected for the forward, who is currently not training with the first-team at Newcastle.

Isak says Newcastle United have "broken" promises and that "trust is lost" whilst the club say "no commitment has ever been made" that he could leave this summer.

In a statement on Instagram Isak wrote: "I've kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken. That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn't reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.

"The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.

"When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can't continue. That's where things are for me right now - and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself."

In a later statement Newcastle said: "We are clear in response that Alex remains under contract and that no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer.

"We want to keep our best players, but we also understand players have their own wishes and we listen to their views.

"As explained to Alex and his representatives, we must always take into consideration the best interests of Newcastle United, the team and our supporters in all decisions and we have been clear that the conditions of a sale this summer have not transpired. We do not foresee those conditions being met."