As Liverpool finalize their preparations for a pre-season double-header against Athletic Bilbao on Monday, Newcastle United are set to return to the UK after their tour of Asia. With that, manager Eddie Howe will resume a more active role in managing the uncertain future of Alexander Isak.
Newcastle ended their tour with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham in Seoul on Sunday and have since flown back to Tyneside. This means Isak, who missed the tour due to a minor injury, is expected to rejoin the squad and staff in the coming days.
However, it has come to light that the Swedish striker requested permission to explore a move away from the club this summer, with Liverpool emerging as his preferred destination. The Reds submitted a £110 million bid on Friday, but Newcastle swiftly rejected the offer.
Liverpool are reportedly not planning to submit an improved bid, seeing little point after Newcastle’s decisive response. Despite that, the situation remains tense, as Isak is still eager to leave, creating a challenging scenario for Newcastle.
While his teammates were touring Asia, Isak was training solo at former club Real Sociedad’s facilities in Spain. He returned to Newcastle over the weekend following club instructions ahead of the team’s homecoming.
Newcastle are scheduled to wrap up their pre-season by playing Espanyol and Atletico Madrid on August 8 and 9. The club had hoped Isak would be available for one or both matches, but following the draw against Spurs, Howe admitted uncertainty about whether the striker will rejoin training.
“I’d like him to be back, but I don’t know if he will be,” Howe said, explaining that others at the club had been handling the situation while he was abroad. He also revealed that he only learned of Isak’s training in Spain and the Liverpool bid through the media.
“I’m not fully up to speed. Things have been dealt with back in England,” Howe explained. “We’re still backing Alex, and ideally I’d like to see him in a Newcastle shirt again.”
Since arriving in Seoul last week, Howe said he hadn’t had time to speak with club officials about Isak due to the intensity of the trip. However, with the team now back in the UK, those conversations can happen face-to-face — both with Isak and club leadership.
If Isak skips training or misses the final friendlies, speculation over a move to Liverpool will only intensify. Such actions could send a clear message about his intentions.
Meanwhile, Newcastle continue to explore other forward options, including RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa. While those pursuits continue, Liverpool are expected to keep monitoring the situation closely.
With Howe and the squad back home and reunited with Isak, the coming days should bring more clarity on the striker’s future.
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