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Alan Pardew believes that Alexander Isak is attempting to hold Newcastle United to ransom as he seeks a move to Liverpool.
The Reds have seen a £110million bid for the forward rejected, and they are yet to come back to the table with another offer.
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Isak hasn't played a single minute of pre-seasonCredit: Getty
The striker has informed the Toon of his desire to play somewhere else and move on after three years on Tyneside.
He took no part in the club's pre-season tour and is currently training on his own.
However, despite all of Isak's efforts to leave, former Toon boss Pardew thinks the transfer is dead Isak will remain a Newcastle player this summer.
Speaking on The Final Word with Majestic, Pardew said: "The transfer to me looks like it can't be done because Newcastle are going to dig their heels in now, and I think they are angry.
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"I would also be if I was on the Newcastle board.
I would dig my heels in, so the fee could go really silly."
Newcastle start their Premier League campaign next week live on talkSPORT against Aston Villa.
However, ahead of what should be an exciting campaign for anyone associated with the Toon as Champions League football is back, the club face the prospect of not having their best forward in Isak for the match.
Even if he were to be re-integrated into the team, Isak hasn't played a single minute of pre-season.
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And on Isak himself, Pardew said: "The problem is, he's handled it so badly.
He couldn't have handled it any worse.
"His agents and advisors have said to him to throw down the tools after serving that great football club, and he's doing really bad things to hold them to ransom and more or less force a way out."
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Eddie Howe's summer preparations haven't been helped by the Isak situation
The Swede has rejected interest from Saudi Arabia and only has eyes for Liverpool.
And Pardew does think the Reds could do with another attacker after seeing Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez depart this summer.
On Liverpool's needs, Pardew does think they could do with a forward.
"They've let two go and brought two in, so that probably is where they are thinking," he added.
"But transfers take a course of their own.
At first, it feels like it's going to happen, and the club feel that as well, and then suddenly, it turns, and I think Newcastle are moved into that area."
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Reports coming out of Newcastle do suggest that Isak has been told he won't be going anywhere this summer after the club failed to land Benjamin Sesko, with the Slovenian choosing a move to Manchester United.
However, when asked if the player could leave, Eddie Howe said: “That’s a decision that I won’t make, that will be for other people to make.
“For me, I’m just trying to manage the situation and manage the team, most importantly manage the group of players that I’m working with day to day, that I love coaching and helping.
Everything else, to a degree, from my perspective is not in my control, so it’s not my focus.”
On the specific reports about Isak, he said: “That’s not something I’m aware of.
"I think there's always room for an attacker in order to strengthen us so let's see what the window brings in terms of the balance of the team."
But Arne Slot doesn't believe there are problems for the team up top.
Also speaking to Crook, he said: "I think we have more than more than enough options to be good enough to win the Community Shield.
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"This is where I focus on myself.
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