Newcastle United are set to make a key decision on Alexander Isaac, and coach Eddie Howe hopes to meet the Swedish striker for the first time in two weeks. This is among rumors that Benjamin Sesco will support Manchester United over Newcastle, but the final decision has not been reported by the RB Leipzig star.
Despite the urgency to sign Sesko or another centre forward, Howe is focusing on the possibility of reintegrating Isak into his senior team. The Chronicle claims that Hau wanted Isaac to train with the rest of his team ahead of the match between Espanyol and Atletico Madrid at the Cera Cup at St. James Park.
Hau is not worried about potential hostility towards Isaac from his teammates. Both Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon expressed sympathy for the striker in recent interviews. Regardless of the ongoing ISAK and SESKO situation, Howe is keen to set the right tone as Newcastle prepares to face fans at St James Park, where he plays two LA La Liga teams, marking his first home appearance since May with over 100,000 Magpie supporters.
Hau chose not to hold a pre-match press conference before the two upcoming matches, but will then deal with the media. This means there is no official comment on ISAK prior to the Espanyol match, but it is understood that Howe is intended to play the striker.
If Isak is away, Newcastle can enter another transfer debate and add fuel to the fire following an attempt by his agent Vlado Lemic to pilot his player from St. James Park behind the scenes.
Stark’s reality is that Lemic-influenced Isak sets his sights on Liverpool, a fact that has not been lost in Newcastle. If Newcastle could delay finding a replacement for longer, it could be made in both Liverpool and Isaac, leaving the door open to wear the black and white shirt again.
So far, Howe has refrained from taking a hard line with his striker. However, Newcastle is still actively seeking first-class forwards despite the challenges surrounding Isaac and Sesco.
Internal sources at St. James Park have confirmed that the funds are available for transfers as PSR issues have been resolved.
“We’re looking at the best players we can get. We’re looking at the best situations we can get, all situations are open and available,” Howe said last week.
“You know, it was a challenging summer. For a variety of reasons, we missed the load of different targets. But we are still very competitive and we still want to bring good players to the club.
A search for the top Newcastle United talent could lead them to Goncaro Ramos, a Paris-St. Germany striker who was previously tracked by Benfica, but Champions League winners have demanded more than 60 million euros.
Magpies maintain interest in Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Brentford’s Yoan Wissa, but Hau admits that it doesn’t match the profile required for ISAK’s replacement. They will be considered successors to Callum Wilson.
With the transfer deadline approaching and Sesco potentially heading for Man United, Newcastle is facing a tight squeeze to lock the striker in front of a fixture against Aston Villa.
Before departing Seoul, Hau shared his concerns. “We don’t have much time (to get players for the villa), especially if we think we have to speed up players in the way they play.
“And tackle the complexity of what we do, it’s not easy and it’s not easy for people to do it right away.
“We’re still active in the market and are looking for players.”
Despite the lack of Newcastle’s sports director or CEO, insiders argue that with PIF officials on their side, Howe has the ability to ensure quick decisions from high-level companies.
