“I’d never give a guarantee…” – Eddie Howe addresses Isak future amid ongoing Liverpool rumours | OneFootball

Eddie Howe has said that he can’t ‘guarantee’ that Alexander Isak will remain at Newcastle this summer, amid ongoing speculation over a potential move to Liverpool.

The Telegraph‘s Luke Edwards reported on Monday that the Reds are still ‘circling’ for a possible swoop for the 25-year-old, whose representatives recently gave an ambigious update that they are ‘already studying and analysing all options’ for their client.

The Swedish striker was sent home from the Magpies’ camp prior to their 4-0 defeat by Celtic in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, with his manager attributing that decision to ‘the speculation around him’ (Sky Sports), and the 47-year-old has commented further on the future of the £150m-rated marksman.

Howe addresses Isak’s future ahead of Newcastle’s pre-season tour

Newcastle are set to fly out to the Far East this week for friendlies in Singapore and South Korea, and Howe confirmed that Isak is expected to travel, although he stopped short of giving a cast-iron guarantee that the striker will remain at St James’ Park for the upcoming campaign.

When asked if he thinks the Swede will be on the plane to Asia, the Magpies manager told BBC Radio Newcastle (via Liverpool Echo): “Yes, absolutely. He’s part of our squad. At this moment in time, I expect him to come.

“I’d never give a guarantee about anybody [staying] because I’ve been in football long enough to know I could end up looking silly, but the desire from everybody to keep him is as strong as it could be. Fingers crossed that will happen for us.”

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Howe leaving the door ajar for potential Liverpool swoop for Isak

On Monday, Lewis Steele described Liverpool’s chances of signing Isak this summer as unlikely but ‘not impossible’; and with Howe not categorically ruling out an exit for the 25-year-old either, could it still happen before the end of August?

Realistically, it seems like a long shot that the Reds will stump up the aforementioned asking price after committing almost £80m to signing Hugo Ekitike, a transaction which’ll take their spending in this transfer window beyond the £250m mark.

Newcastle clinched Champions League qualification on the final day of last season, which could be vital in both a footballing and financial sense to their hopes of keeping the Sweden international. Had they fallen short on that front and in the Carabao Cup final, the likelihood of him leaving would surely be much higher.

Isak will probably remain at St James’ Park for at least another 12 months, and the Magpies would be daft not to do their utmost to try and hold onto him, but Howe’s comments offer a beacon of opportunity to Liverpool and other suitors that a deal might just be viable.

We can expect the discourse around the 25-year-old’s future to remain a hot topic right up to the end of the transfer window.