What Eddie Howe has privately said about Alexander Isak as PIF aim to strike Newcastle deal

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Newcastle United fans are fearful when it comes to Alexander Isak’s Toon future.

The Magpies handed Anthony Gordon a new contract this week, and the hope has been that Alexander Isak would be the next major star to commit his future to the club.

It has been reported that Isak wants to sign a new contract with Newcastle, but it looks like an extension certainly is not imminent.

Eddie Howe says Isak has a long-term contract, with the Newcastle boss describing the situation as ‘complex’. The Magpies want him to stay, but are in no rush.

However, claims that Isak could leave Newcastle if they fail to qualify for the Champions League has panicked supporters. He is a top level performer, and it would be a disaster to see him leave St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe’s stance on Newcastle selling Alexander Isak

While Newcastle United appear to be calm about the situation, there is very much an appreciation that they must keep Isak on Tyneside for as long as possible.

In fact, the Telegraph state that Alexander Isak is the player who Eddie Howe has privately said he would least like to see leave Newcastle United.

He is held in a higher regard than Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon, and it is easy to understand why.

Isak is simply world class. There are not many strikers in world football who are as good as he is. While those other players may also fall into the ‘world class’ bracket, they are perhaps easier to replace than Isak.

That is why Newcastle simply would not contemplate losing Isak over the summer, despite their PSR problems.

That stance looks set to continue, although it might depend on how well Newcastle United do this season. If the club do not qualify for Europe then problems could emerge.

How PIF feel about Alexander Isak

Howe knows how important Isak is to Newcastle United, and so do PIF.

The Telegraph add that PIF are eager for Isak to sign a new contract with the club, which suggests they clearly appreciate how important he is to their project.

That should put Isak in a strong position when it comes to negotiating a new contract. However, those talks might be on hold for now, with his current deal running until 2028.

PIF may have a vested interest when it comes to Isak. He is Newcastle’s most expensive signing ever, with the club spending £63million on him in August 2022. It is the biggest deal that PIF have done since taking over at Newcastle, and they understandably want him to remain at the club for as long as possible.