Eddie Howe breaks his silence on the breakdown of his relationship with 'difficult' Alexander Isak before he forced £125m transfer to Liverpool

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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has broken his silence regarding the breakdown of the relationship with striker Alexander Isak amid his £125 million transfer interest from Liverpool. Isak has distanced himself from Newcastle’s first-team activities, starting with his absence from the club’s pre-season tour to Asia and a brief training spell with his former club Real Sociedad. Subsequently, Isak returned to Tyneside but remained isolated and publicly claimed that "the relationship can't continue," signaling his desire to leave the club.

Despite Isak’s defiant stance, Howe and Newcastle’s ownership have maintained that the striker is not for sale. The club’s co-owner, Jamie Reuben, even led a delegation to visit Isak at his Northumberland home in an attempt to reach a compromise, ahead of a crucial match against Liverpool. However, these discussions reportedly failed to generate any positive resolution, with Isak showing "no intention to reintegrate" into the squad as reported by David Ornstein.

Howe has kept the door open for Isak’s return to the team, showing a willingness to move forward if the striker resumes his commitment. Nonetheless, the situation remains tense and unresolved, with Isak’s demand to leave and focus on a transfer to Liverpool causing a significant standoff. The manager has expressed the need for clarity regarding the striker’s future to allow both parties to move on effectively.

The ongoing saga highlights the complex dynamics between the player’s transfer ambitions and the club’s firm position on retaining their star asset despite growing external interest. With Liverpool’s pursuit intensifying, Newcastle’s management and Howe face a challenging task in balancing team harmony and financial matters.

PP