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Alexander Isak has been handed a final ultimatum(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

Alexander Isak is still training alone at Newcastle United's Benton base, with Liverpool having been told the Swede is not for sale unless they launch a serious offer.

Magpies manager Eddie Howe indicated over the weekend it is unlikely Isak will feature against Aston Villa in Newcastle's Premier League opener on Saturday, as transfer speculation continues.

While things can change very quickly in football, Howe admits speaking to the striker hasn't been straightforward – and if he'd been able to convince Isak to happily stay in the north east, then the issue would already be resolved.

So, what's next for Newcastle and Isak?

Currently, the Swede's pictures have been taken down from the club shop, and Adidas staff told Chronicle Live that during the club's trip to South Korea, jersey sales with Isak's name and number dropped dramatically.

READ MORE:Virgil van Dijk made it very clear what Liverpool dressing room thinks of Alexander IsakREAD MORE:Liverpool receive unlikely Alexander Isak boost as manager makes telling transfer decision

Newcastle are still on the hunt for a new striker who can step into Isak's shoes, with Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis being the latest name suggested to the Magpies – although he's just one of several options.

The club is also still waiting for a higher offer for Isak.

Liverpool's most recent bid, made at the beginning of August, totalled around £110million, but it was promptly turned down.

If Isak wants to leave and Newcastle want to replace him, a more substantial bid is needed for both parties.

It has previously been suggested that £150m is the asking price, but it is now believed £130m plus add-ons might be enough to seal the deal.

Regardless, Isak – and his potential future club, Liverpool – have been given the final word: no serious offer means no transfer.

Isak is still training on his own, away from the Newcastle squad(Image: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

Until then, the door remains open for Isak to train in preparation for the match at Villa Park, and potentially play again for the black-and-whites – something he's shown no interest in doing this pre-season.

Newcastle now look set to head into their Premier League opener without their man who found the net 27 times for them last season and helped fire them into the Champions League.

Isak had previously been the face of the new third kit reveal earlier this summer, even featuring in Adidas campaigns with club icon Tino Asprilla at the Tyneside Irish Centre, but that was well before any rumours about a transfer.

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton continue to be favoured picks among supporters for jersey numbers and names, but the expectation is that a new striker can restore some of the missing revenue.

However, on the training pitch, Howe must press ahead without his key player.

While his unavailability is a significant blow in preparations, the boss acknowledged that maintaining the squad's spirits is equally crucial.

Howe said: "I think the group has been disrupted, of course, but I think whenever you have a player in this situation, it's unsettling for the team.

Newcastle United must press on without Isak for now(Image: Harriet Massey/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

"I don't think we've been in that position since I've been here, the harmony and togetherness of the group has been at its highest, so I think naturally it's just been a topic of conversation, it's been a distraction and the biggest hit we've taken is we're not blessed with a number of players in his position, so I think you've seen a big gap.

"But I have to say, big credit to the players because they've got on with their work, training has been of a really high level.

"I haven't seen a negative output on the pitch, but I have been aware of feeling around the group that there's something there that's not to the benefit of the group."

This puts Newcastle in a challenging spot heading into the Villa clash, with Anthony Gordon's determined performance against Atletico Madrid failing to yield a goal and Joelinton wasting numerous opportunities.

Howe was even asked about whether he'd contemplate asking the Brazilian to return to striker duties this season, having transformed the former number nine into a midfielder, but the head coach laughed off this suggestion.

When pressed on whether Isak might still be stirred to make a comeback at Villa Park, Howe added: "I don't see that changing before Aston Villa, the current situation we're in."

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