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As Liverpool start to go through their final preparations ahead of a pre-season double-header against Athletic Bilbao on Monday, Newcastle United will return to the United Kingdom after their tour of Asia.

And with it, Eddie Howe will be back playing a hands-on role in the future of star player Alexander Isak.

The Magpies concluded their tour with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in Seoul on Sunday, before jetting back to Newcastle.



Consequently, in the days ahead, the Swede will be reunited with his coaches and team-mates.

The wantaway striker missed the Magpies’ tour of the Far East due to a minor injury.

READ MORE:Federico Chiesa future could become clearer after transfer request as Liverpool decision nearsREAD MORE:Eddie Howe casts fresh doubt over Alexander Isak future after rejected Liverpool bid

Yet it later emerged that he had asked to be allowed to explore opportunities to leave the club this summer, with Liverpool his preferred destination of choice.

The Reds made their move on Friday, putting in an £110m bid only to see it rejected almost immediately.

Their current position now is that, as things stand, they will not be returning with an improved bid.

The ECHO understands that Liverpool currently consider it futile to return with an improved offer, given the swiftness and clarity of Newcastle’s rejection.

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However, that does not change the fact that the Magpies still find themselves in possession of an unhappy player who still wishes to leave the club.

While Newcastle were in the Far East, Isak had been training alone at the facilities of former club Real Sociedad in Spain.

However, he returned to Tyneside over the weekend after receiving instruction from the club ahead of the Magpies’ own return to the United Kingdom.

Newcastle are set to conclude their pre-season schedule by facing La Liga outfits Espanyol and Atletico Madrid on Friday 8 August and Saturday 9 August, and had previously expected Isak to be available to feature in either fixture.

But after drawing with Tottenham, Howe admitted he did not know where the striker would be back training with his team-mates next week following their return to England.

“Of course I'd like him to be, but whether he will I don’t know at this moment in time,” he said at his post-match press conference.

“Other people have been dealing with that situation back at home.”

Admittedly, that was not the first time Howe had put such responsibility on Newcastle officials back home, having previously admitted he only found out Isak was training in Spain through the media.

"I was made aware of a bid yesterday and that bid was turned down, all before I’d even heard about it," Howe said ahead of facing Spurs.

And while that is ongoing, the Reds will continue to monitor developments from afar.

With Howe and the Newcastle squad now returning to Tyneside and soon reuniting with Isak, having attempted to bat away questions regarding his future over the past fortnight, his future is poised to become a little clearer one way or the other.


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