ALEXANDER ISAK'S 'NEWCASTLE CAREER OVER' AS LIVERPOOL TARGET 'WON'T PLAY FOR CLUB AGAIN'

Alexander Isak is pushing for a move to Liverpool (Image: PA)

Alexander Isak is adamant 'he will not play for Newcastle again' as the Sweden striker looks to force through a British record transfer to Liverpool before the deadline

Alexander Isak reportedly views his Newcastle career 'over' as he looks to force through a move to Liverpool.

The 25-year-old has made himself an outcast at St James' Park after making it clear he wanted to leave the club to join the Reds in a potential British transfer record deal. Isak has since been frozen out of Eddie Howe's squad and he didn't travel to Asia for the pre-season tour.

Newcastle remain firm on the position they've held all along that the Sweden international will only be allowed to leave for the right place, while they look for a possible replacement.

But even if Newcastle refuse to sell the striker, Isak reportedly regards his career with the club as finished and has no desire to reintegrate with the squad.

Alexander Isak is still banished from training with his teammates (Image: Getty Images)

Isak's perspective is that after being told last summer he would not be offered a new contract due to Newcastle's need to comply with football's financial rules, and him already under a lucrative contract until 2028, he made it clear it would be his last season on Tyneside.

However, some at the club believe the forward planned to discuss the situation, and possibly fresh terms, at the end of last season.

Newcastle aren't under any financial pressure to sell Isak on the cheap, but the latest developments will give Liverpool renewed hope of signing the former Real Sociedad star.

Liverpool first launched a bid worth up to £120m, including add-ons, which was rejected. But an improved offer in the region of £150m could tempt Newcastle to accept.

Howe's side begin their Premier League campaign against Aston Villa on Saturday, but Isak is not expected to feature.

The Reds have until the September 1 deadline to sign Isak, or the striker faces a very awkward season in the north-east.

Eddie Howe has been left in a tricky situation (Image: PA)

Howe admitted that all the noise surrounding Isak has made it difficult to maintain team morale, he 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.

"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."

- Cameron Winstanley

NEWCASTLE EDGE WEST HAM 4-3 IN INJURY-RAVAGED THRILLER

 

Harvey Barnes scored the winner for Newcastle

Substitute Harvey Barnes struck twice as Newcastle United fought back from 3-1 down to beat West Ham United 4-3 in a thrilling Premier League match at St James' Park on Saturday.

Newcastle led through Alexander Isak's early penalty before Michail Antonio and Mohammed Kudus put West Ham 2-1 up at half-time.

The home side were on track for an afternoon to forget after they lost Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth, Tino Livramento and Miguel Almirón to injury.

Jarrod Bowen extended the visitors' lead but Isak's second penalty 13 minutes from time gave Newcastle hope, and the livewire Barnes equalised with a clinical finish past keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Barnes then lashed in a sweet shot from outside the box in the 90th minute to a deafening roar from the St. James' crowd, and although Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon was sent off in stoppage time, the hosts hung on for the win.

"It was one of the maddest games I have played in for sure. We are obviously disappointed to be where we are in the game and then we had a mountain to climb. This team is all abut team spirit and never give up and that showed in abundance today," Barnes told the BBC. 

"These are the games and moments you want to be involved in. Sitting on the sidelines, in the stands, it's the worst feeling so it makes you want to work even harder to get to stages like today and enjoy moments like today."

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe praised his side's character. 

"A lot of emotions in that game, we were swinging all over the place really, ups and downs, injuries, sending off but just brilliant from the lads, brilliant comeback when it was a real challenge at 3-1 down," coach Eddie Howe told TNT.

"When you're 3-1 down at home with the recent run we've been on and everything seemingly going against us, very, very difficult for the players to regroup and go again but they did second half and it was just a wonderful feeling at the end," Howe said.

West Ham manager David Moyes was disappointed after his team's third match without a win.

"We have lost a game when we should have won a game," Moyes told BBC.

"This is a tough place to come and for a long period we looked as though we were going to be the side who finished on top. We didn't see the job through and weren't tough enough."

Newcastle climbed to eighth in table on 43 points after 29 games, a point behind West Ham in seventh.

- Reuters