Alexander Isak’s standoff with Newcastle escalated on Wednesday when the striker was ordered to train separately from his teammates and stay away from a lunchtime training-ground barbecue.
Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s manager, had organised the gathering for his players and staff and their partners and children, but Isak was told to delay his arrival for solitary training until later in the afternoon.
The rest of the first-team squad had been put through their paces by Howe as they reconvened for the first time since their near 15-hour flight from Seoul shortly after 8am on Monday.
Isak was absent from the pre-season trip to Singapore and South Korea as the Sweden forward attempted to force through a transfer to Liverpool. Although the club claimed a minor thigh strain had prevented him boarding the private charter plane to south-east Asia, scans indicated no evidence of injury.
Rather than train and/or receive treatment at Newcastle, Isak flew to northern Spain and his former club Real Sociedad, where he trained alone for much of last week. Howe said he learned of this expedition through the media and before leaving Seoul said players exhibiting “poor behaviour” could forfeit the right to train with his squad. “You have to earn the right to train with us,” he said. “We’re Newcastle United. Players have a responsibility to be part of a team and a squad. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group. You have to act in the right way.”
Liverpool have had a £110m bid for Isak rejected, but Newcastle believe they will return with a higher offer once a suitable replacement has been found. That quest has proved frustrating, with their latest target, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, poised to join Manchester United.
Isak was due to meet Howe at the training ground for talks on Wednesday, when his thigh was also scheduled to be inspected by the medical team.
Regardless of whether he is reintegrated into first-team training, Isak seems unlikely to be involved in the Sela Cup at St James’ Park, where Newcastle face two La Liga sides, Espanyol on Friday night and Atlético Madrid on Saturday afternoon.
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By then Newcastle’s striker hunt – and, should Isak leave, they will need two – is likely to have ramped up, with PSG’s Gonçalo Ramos, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson potential recruits.
Newcastle are also in the market for a right-sided central defender and reports in Italy suggested Milan have rejected a £26m bid for the 23-year-old Germany defender Malick Thiaw. Although it seems that was more an exploratory offer than a formal approach, Newcastle have a longstanding interest in the versatile Thiaw.