"I decided to send him home" - Eddie Howe reveals why Alexander Isak missed Newcastle pre-season game amid Liverpool links

Eddie Howe has revealed that he sent Alexander Isak back to England amid reported interest from Liverpool. The Newcastle United manager admitted that he was not going to play the striker against Celtic to manage his minutes, but did not want him sitting in the stands.

Speaking to the media after the pre-season game, which they lost 4-0, Howe said that Isak had traveled with the Magpies to Scotland. However, he decided that it was not ideal to play the striker, as he needed to manage his minutes, and the speculation around his future did not help. He said:

"It was my decision. He travelled back to Glasgow with us but I decided to send him home due to the speculation around him. The last thing he wanted is to be sat in the stand watching, that wasn't fair to him. But I'm confident he will be a Newcastle player come the end of the window."

When asked if he was 100% confident that Isak would remain at the club, Howe added:

"It's difficult for me to give 100% clarity on any player. Alex is happy at Newcastle United, he loves the players, the staff, the team. I'm confident he'll be here at the start of the season. We have a few of those players who are irreplaceable. We're desperate to keep Alex (Isak) part of our team."

Newcastle United have not changed their stance on the Liverpool target despite the Reds reportedly making an approach. The Magpies have backed out of the Hugo Ekitike deal with Eintracht Frankfurt, giving Arne Slot's side a free run.

Liverpool ready to break Premier League record to sign Newcastle United star

Liverpool made an approach to sign Alexander Isak last week, according to David Ornstein in The Athletic. The Reds are willing to break the Premier League transfer record, the £116 million they paid to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer, to land the Newcastle United star.

The report states that Arne Slot's side are ready to offer £120 million to get the striker who scored 27 goals in 42 matches last season. They are keen on adding a striker this summer and were also linked with a move for Jean-Philippe Mateta earlier this month.

Darwin Nunez's future at the club is in doubt, while Luis Diaz is also considering a move amid interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The Reds are also looking to bring in a forward following the tragic death of Diogo Jota this month.

Edited by Arshit Garg