Eddie Howe suffering Alexander Isak issue that saw star dubbed 'dressing room burden'

Newcastle United are facing a predicament akin to Borussia Dortmund's prior to Erling Haaland's move to Manchester City, as the Alexander Isak saga drags on. The Swedish striker has expressed his desire to explore options away from Tyneside following heightened speculation about his future over the past week.

Eddie Howe sent Isak home from the friendly at Celtic "due to the speculation around him." Later in the week, it was revealed that he would not be joining United's pre-season tour to Asia, with a minor thigh issue given as the reason for his absence. On the same day, news broke that Isak had requested to look at options away from St James' Park, with Liverpool showing interest in the 25-year-old, despite their recent acquisition of Hugo Ekitike for an initial £69million.

Liverpool may have to fork out up to £150m to lure Isak away from Newcastle, who are under no obligation to sell their star forward. However, despite his undeniable talent, Isak's continued presence at the club could become an unwelcome distraction as the Magpies gear up for the new season.

This situation mirrors the one Dortmund faced in 2022 amid rampant speculation about Haaland's future. After netting an impressive 86 goals in 89 matches following his transfer from RB Salzburg, Haaland attracted attention from numerous clubs, including Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona, before eventually signing with City for £85.5million.

While Haaland's departure created a massive void at Dortmund, there was some sense of relief when he moved on, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl acknowledging the endless speculation surrounding Haaland's future had become a burden.

Following Haaland's exit, he told Bild: "In the end, the Haaland issue became a burden in the locker room. As much as we always loved Haaland and he was successful with us, in the end, he became a burden on the dressing room, the club and the whole environment.

"He had become the subject of every conversation. Outside the club, almost everything was exclusively focused on him. In the end, the timing of the transfer was right for both parties. And we are all happy for Erling that he continues to be so successful."

Howe will be keen to avoid that scenario at Newcastle, though he has declined to set a deadline for a verdict on Isak's future. Speaking in Singapore, Howe acknowledged the club have a "decision to make".

He said: "I wouldn't put a timescale on it. I think with these situations, it has to be right for the football club, and everything then is taken into context below that.

"But the club will make the right decision with all the information that it has, and ultimately to try and move the club forward in whatever way that is. Then it's up to us to make good decisions the other way and try and improve the squad as best we can. That's what we're trying to do, regardless of Alex's situation.

"But I think there's a wider picture here. There's a whole football club that has to make the decision. The ownership, together with the board of directors, especially with the money involved in modern day transfers. The manager of course has an opinion, but ultimately the decision will rest with the board."