Alexander Isak now considering his options and exploring move away from Newcastle – Report | OneFootball

A media exclusive has reported that Alexander Isak is now exploring a move away from Newcastle United.

Craig Hope of The Mail states that the Newcastle United owners and senior staff are ‘…aware of Isak’s wish to consider his options this summer.’

This has swiftly followed on from the news earlier today that Alexander Isak is the only senior player not on the trip to Singapore and South Korea.

United announcing a squad of 30 for the pre-season trip, including a number of under 21 players.

Eddie Howe said on Saturday that Joelinton and Alexander Isak hadn’t been part of his matchday squad at Celtic because he was carefully managing their early pre-season involvement. Both players having had injury/fitness issues towards the end of last season.

When asked specifically about the striker on Saturday and this trip to the Far East, Eddie Howe stated:

“Yes, I absolutely expect him to be in Singapore and South Korea, playing in the games over there. Absolutely.

“Is the desire to keep him right through the club? Absolutely.

“We are desperate to keep Alexander Isak as part of our team.

“It is difficult for me to give 100 per cent clarity on any player.

“Alex is happy at Newcastle though, he loves the players, the staff, the team.

“I am confident he will be here at the start of the season.”

The Mail report saying Alexander Isak reported a thigh injury earlier in the week and this morning the club said that Isak’s absence is because of a ‘minor thigh issue.’

I think fair to say that this reason/excuse isn’t going to do anything to reduce the speculation and hysteria around the striker’s situation.

Craig Hope is one of the more reliable journalists who regularly cover Newcastle United and for me, it is hard to dismiss this exclusive he has put out today.

However, this doesn’t mean that Alexander Isak will necessarily be leaving St James’ Park this summer.

The man from The Mail says that Newcastle United are keen to agree a new enhanced and extended contract, beyond the three years that currently remain on his existing deal.

‘Newcastle’s owners and head coach Eddie Howe do not want to sell and the preference would be to negotiate fresh terms, even if that meant a move next summer.

That possibility remains, given Newcastle are in a strong position contractually, but an offer from Liverpool or any club in the region of £150million, coupled with Isak’s own wishes, could yet see a move accelerate in the coming weeks.’

Whatever else is happening inside the club as well as with Alexander Isak and his representatives, my guess is that this is how matters have come to a head, which has then led to this media exclusive.

My guess is that the club have tried to start negotiations on a new extended contract and that Alexander Isak and his people have said no to those new contract talks.

Which leads us to where we appear to be now, in terms of the media report from The Mail.

The club not wanting Alexander Isak to go into a new season where at the end of it he would have just two years left and a far weaker NUFC bargaining position if clubs did try to sign him.

If say Alexander Isak was interested in leaving this summer, you would still then need a club coming in for him that Isak was up for joining. You would then need that club to offer enough money to satisfy the Newcastle United owners (and Eddie Howe) for any sale to happen. Also, personal terms needing to be agreed between any new club and Isak.

Plus, I think that as well as all of those things to happen, I believe that they would also have to occur in the very near future.

It would be bad enough if Alexander Isak (or any other key NUFC player) left now with just three weeks to go until the new season. However, so much wore if that happened as the season was kicking off, or even later.

In reality, surely if any club had been serious about trying to sign Alexander Isak then they should have been doing this at the start of June, not end of July. Same with the player, if indeed Isak is wanting to leave.

For any chance of Alexander Isak departure to happen this summer with currently only 39 days until the window closes, only 23 days until United’s season kicks off, then my assumption would be that any interested club would have to come in with a very good offer now, no messing about, no trying to take advantage of whatever potential situation. No way the Newcastle United owners will be messed about and be seen to cave in, some rival club getting Alexander Isak on the relative cheap.

I had been looking forward to this Far East trip coming around, so that all of the Newcastle United were off together, cocooned away from a lot of the nonsense, only concentrating on getting ready for the new season, a bit less stress for Newcastle fans knowing all of the key players who other clubs would love to have, are off to the other side of the world working together for NUFC and mixing all the time with other Newcastle players.

Well, it hasn’t quite worked out like that, has it?

None of this means Alexander Isak is definitely leaving.