The long and intricate story of Newcastle’s Isak

20/08/2025 15:45:00 GoalGuru

The Premier League’s first round has passed, and Alexander Isak still doesn’t know which club he’ll represent this season. How long will the Newcastle-Isak standoff last, and will the striker be willing to remain?

It’s clear how much his absence affected Eddie Howe’s team against Aston Villa. Had Isak started as usual, Newcastle might have left Villa Park with a win rather than just a draw, especially given their numerical advantage for nearly 30 minutes.

Searching for someone to replace Isak

Without Isak, Anthony Gordon was picked to play as centre-forward. The 24-year-old has plenty of energy and fighting spirit, but he isn’t a true striker, and it’s easy to spot the physical and movement limitations compared to Isak. Howe’s dilemma is that he can’t find a better solution than Gordon. With Callum Wilson’s departure, Newcastle are left with young Will Osula as the only centre-forward, but Howe doesn’t want to gamble on him, so he’s opted to temporarily convert Gordon into a striker.

There are less than two weeks left in the summer transfer window, and Newcastle urgently need to find an answer to the Isak problem. Most recently, Goncalo Ramos of PSG has emerged as a target. The Portuguese striker isn’t playing regularly under Luis Enrique, and PSG are open to offers if the price is right. Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea is also being considered, with Newcastle ready to compete with Bayern Munich for the French forward. In addition to Ramos and Nkunku, Newcastle have previously contacted Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea and Yoane Wissa from Brentford, but those deals haven’t progressed, while Hugo Ekitike chose Liverpool over Newcastle and scored in the first round. The situation is dire: no Isak on the field, no replacement, and no goals in the opening match. Newcastle’s highly anticipated season is already in trouble because of the striker who scored 23 goals in the Premier League last year.

Isak’s future remains uncertain as Newcastle are still reluctant to let him go

Can Isak stay at Newcastle?

So far, there’s no indication that Isak has changed his mind or is willing to stay with Newcastle. The Swedish striker will keep waiting for Howe’s club to accept Liverpool’s offer, which is his desired destination this summer.

Is the scenario of Isak staying at Newcastle, at least until the end of the year, completely impossible? Howe would be delighted to keep the striker for a while, even though the 47-year-old coach insists the decision is up to Isak. On the other hand, he wants the situation resolved quickly to avoid the risk of Isak becoming a “ticking time bomb” that could negatively affect Newcastle’s dressing room: “There’s nothing new about Isak’s future. Every possibility is still open. I don’t have control over this. Let’s wait and see what happens next. I want to focus entirely on the team.” Newcastle fans haven’t completely turned against Isak, and if he chooses to stay, he’ll still be welcomed on the pitch this season. As long as Isak keeps scoring and doesn’t get distracted by the prospect of playing elsewhere in the future.

Newcastle aren’t under pressure to sell Isak at any cost, since they need him for the Champions League. That’s why the club is only considering offers of at least £150 million and has already rejected Liverpool’s £110 million bid. Isak’s contract at St James’ Park runs until summer 2028, making it unlikely that his value will drop anytime soon.

Both Newcastle and Isak are at a crossroads. If Isak pushes too hard, Newcastle will have to scramble to find a replacement. But if both sides compromise, there’s no guarantee of lasting peace.

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