Alexander Isak was back at Newcastle United’s training ground on Monday, but there was little of the fanfare that might usually accompany the return of a £63m striker. The Swede, who had spent the past week working privately with his personal setup at Real Sociedad, rejoined the squad amid simmering tensions, both behind the scenes and now, unusually, in public.
Eddie Howe is not known for speaking out. The Newcastle head coach typically keeps internal matters firmly behind closed doors. But after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham, Howe delivered a striking message that suggests the situation with Isak has pushed him unusually close to the edge.
“Of course it is,” Howe said when asked if the situation was frustrating. “But there is also another way to look at this. You have to earn the right to train with us. We’re Newcastle United.”
He added: “The player has a responsibility here to be part of a team and part of a squad — you have to act in the right way. So that is also at play here. We will make sure that any player does that to earn the right to train with the group. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal.”
They are words that might seem relatively benign coming from many Premier League managers. From Howe, they are deafening.
The context makes the tone even more significant. Newcastle rejected a Liverpool bid of more than £100 million last week, but there’s an increasing sense that they are open to a sale, on their terms. Isak’s decision to train away from the squad, with sources close to the player citing the need for “focused preparation” ahead of the new season, was not sanctioned by the club and has not gone down well.
When asked whether Isak would be training with the group upon his return, Howe gave an answer that only deepened the intrigue. “Of course I’d like him to be,” he said. “But whether he will I don’t know at this moment in time. We have been here with the time difference preparing training and for games. Other people have been dealing with that situation back at home.”
Newcastle are working on deals for at least one high-quality forward before the window closes, and sources inside the club believe that Howe would not have spoken with this level of firmness unless he was confident of having a strong alternative in place.
For Isak, then, the road back is long and likely to be uphill. The training ground may be familiar, but the atmosphere is anything but. Winning over Howe and his teammates will take time. Winning back the fans, who have grown increasingly weary of the noise around his future, may prove far harder.
Liverpool’s rejected bid hasn’t ended the speculation. But unless they return with a firm offer that matches Newcastle’s valuation, a sale this summer is unlikely. That leaves Isak in limbo, still at the club, but far from integrated.
Whether that changes depends as much on him as it does on those around him. For now, the message from the manager is clear: no shortcuts, no exceptions. Even for Alexander Isak.
