Alexander Isak's future at Newcastle United remains up in the air as he was left out of the squad for their pre-season friendly against Celtic at Parkhead. Manager Eddie Howe confirmed that the Swedish striker was deliberately withdrawn from the matchday squad as speculation around a potential move to Liverpool continues to gather pace.

• Newcastle determined to hold on to Isak
• Have rebuffed a mega-money offer from Liverpool
• Howe kept him out of the matchday squad to send a message

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Despite mounting reports linking Isak with a sensational switch to Anfield, the Magpies have maintained a firm stance: their talismanic No.9 is not for sale. The 25-year-old has been repeatedly touted as a prime target for the Reds, with rumours suggesting Arne Slot’s side were ready to launch a mammoth £130 million ($175m) bid, a figure that would eclipse all previous transfer records in British football.

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  WHAT HOWE SAID

  Following his side’s humbling 4-0 defeat to Celtic, Howe addressed the absence of Isak and clarified the reasoning behind the decision.

  “It was my decision," Howe admitted. "I decided to send him home due to the speculation around him. The last thing he wanted is to be sat in the stand watching, that wasn’t fair to him. But I’m confident he will be a Newcastle player come the end of the window.”

  The manager still hopes that he will be able to count on Isak for the 2025-26 season, but was pragmatic in his outlook. He added: "It's difficult for me to give 100% clarity on any player. Alex is happy at Newcastle, he loves the players, the staff, and the team. I'm confident he'll be here at the start of the season."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Another notable absentee from the Parkhead fixture was Brazilian midfielder Joelinton, who was present in the stands but didn’t feature in the game. Club insiders suggested both Isak and Joelinton are being carefully managed as part of Newcastle’s pre-season planning, rather than for any injury-related reasons.

  Howe reiterated, “Both (Joelinton & Isak) are fit but not ready to play. Alex has trained and is fine, but we didn't want to take the risk with him."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  The current transfer window has been anything but smooth for Newcastle. Their pursuit of French forward Hugo Ekitike hit a dead end last week, with Liverpool now leading the race for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker after the Magpies withdrew from negotiations. That setback has only intensified concern among fans, particularly as the club’s only senior signing so far has been winger Anthony Elanga.

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Category: News