Alexander Isak announcement made amid Liverpool and Newcastle transfer saga

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Liverpool target Alexander Isak has been called up for Sweden.(Image: Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

Liverpool target Alexander Isak has been included in Sweden's squad for upcoming international fixtures, despite being banished by Newcastle United.

The 25-year-old hasn't played a competitive minute in the Magpies' opening two Premier League matches and hasn't been involved with the North East club since the beginning of July.

Isak has been at the centre of an intense transfer saga - after expressing his intention to leave St James' Park and move to Anfield.



He missed the tour of the Far East with Eddie Howe's side with a muscle complaint before taking his preparations to Real Sociedad's training base to aid his recovery.

He has been forced to train on his own at Liverpool's Premier League rivals after their £110million bid was rejected earlier this summer.

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Despite no first-team minutes against Aston Villa - or the Reds - manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has made the bold decision to include the striker in the squad for their forthcoming fixtures against Slovenia and Kosovo.

It remains to be seen whether he will be handed game-time over new Arsenal star, Viktor Gyokeres, who netted twice in the Gunners' 5-0 win over Leeds United last time out.

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But he will share a dressing room with Newcastle teammates Emil Krafth and summer signing Anthony Elanga.

Ahead of Liverpool's dramatic 3-2 victory over the Magpies on Monday, it was reported that Newcastle co-owner Jamie Reuben and representatives of their majority shareholders, Saudi Arabia's Private Investment Fund, met with Isak and his entourage in a bid to build bridges to reintegrate him into the squad.

However, it was reported on Tuesday that their efforts to restore a relationship failed and Isak remained set on leaving to join the Premier League champions.

This week, Howe said: "I've not been party to talks on this for a long time now.

"I've been preparing the team and giving all my energy to the players that want to play for Newcastle.

"I think that is where my energy is best put at the moment.

"We want clarity, we want to move forward, we want the narrative to change because we're in the start of the season now.

"We're into the action and we've got to get results, and we've got to try to focus on what we can control.

"We've given two really, really good performances, we've ended up with one point.

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"That's tough for us to take, especially in this moment where you're looking for positives to cling to.

"But we battle through and we now go on to play against Leeds."