Alexander Isak Liverpool saga to 'end pretty quickly' now after proving Eddie Howe right

Eddie Howe had high hopes for Alexander Isak to excel in the Premier League when he signed him three years ago - but the Swedish striker's impressive performances have led him to seek a move away from Newcastle. The forward has made no secret of his desire to leave Tyneside, with Liverpool currently leading the race for his signature.

The current Premier League champions had a £110million bid for the 25 year old rejected several weeks ago, and a second offer is yet to be tabled. Despite this, Isak continues to train alone and has reportedly vowed never to play for the club again.

Earlier this week, he broke his silence on the transfer saga, launching a blistering attack on the club's management over "broken promises" in a fiery statement. In response, Newcastle insisted they "do not foresee" any situation where Isak leaves, with Howe still holding out hope for a resolution with the striker.

The Magpies boss brought Isak to St. James' Park in 2022 in a then-record £63m deal for the club, confident that the striker would thrive in England. At the time, he stated: "He has pace, technical ability, dribbling ability.

"He's got a bit of the X-factor about him. Alex is slightly different and I think he's capable of scoring goals. He's technically very good and has a mix of qualities I really like in a forward player."

"For such a young player, he's had a lot of experiences thrown at him, playing for big clubs in Germany [with Borussia Dortmund ], the Netherlands [Willem II] and Spain [Real Sociedad].

"The English game will suit his profile. He's a really good athlete with a host of things going for him and his best years are ahead of him. He's a very exciting signing for us."

Having netted 62 goals in 109 outings for the club, including delivering the crucial strike in the Carabao Cup final in March against Liverpool whilst also firing the Magpies back into the Champions League, there's scant debate he has established himself as a success on Tyneside.

However, the relationship between Isak and the club has deteriorated significantly and may now be beyond repair, reports Chronicle Live.

Despite this, Howe insisted this week - ahead of Newcastle's encounter with Liverpool this coming Monday - that a resolution concerning the player's future would materialise quickly.

Speaking to journalists at Friday's press conference, Howe discussed Isak's situation before the transfer deadline on Monday, September 1.

The Newcastle manager said: "We love Alex in the sense of what he has done for this football club since he has been here, what he has contributed, what he has given, how professional he's been and this has just been an unfortunate few months that looks like it is coming to an end.

"And it will come to an end pretty quickly and then we can focus on the football again."

Howe is preparing his squad for their first home game of the Premier League season, following last Saturday's goalless stalemate at Aston Villa. The forthcoming clash with Liverpool under the floodlights promises to be a thrilling encounter.