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Sport | Football

Magpies are battling to keep hold of their star striker amid links to Liverpool

Fresh twist: Alexander Isak

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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne1 minute ago

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Eddie Howe has revealed he will not have the final say over Alexander Isak's future at Newcastle.

Isak is currently training by himself after taking no part in the club's latest pre-season fixtures against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid.

This is after missing the Magpies' tour of Asia amid links to Premier League champions Liverpool.

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Despite Newcastle already rejecting a £110million offer for Isak from the Reds, the striker's future remains uncertain.

Asked after Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Atleti at St James' Park if he may have to let the player go, 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.

"We're focusing on [next weekend's Premier League opener against] Aston Villa.

Everything else, to a degree, from my perspective is not in my control, so it's not my focus."

Then when asked about a report claiming Isak had been told he will not be sold this summer, Howe added: "That's not something I'm aware of.

I have no knowledge of that."

Newcastle are said to have placed a £150m price tag on Isak's in an effort to ward off potential suitors, but face a major task to persuade the player to continue his career at St James'.

Asked if he believed he could talk his star frontman round, Howe said: "If it was that easy, I'd have done it yesterday."

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In more positive news for Howe, Newcastle are understood to be closing in on a deal for AC Milan's Germany international defender Malick Thiaw.

Additional reporting from PA.

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