Howe: Isak transfer speculation won’t affect us

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Newcastle United‘s players will not let ongoing speculation linking striker Alexander Isak with a move away from St. James’ Park affect their focus as they prepare for the Premier League season, manager Eddie Howe said.

Isak, who scored 23 league goals for Newcastle last season — only behind Liverpool winger and Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah who scored 29 –was left out of Newcastle’s squad for their preseason tour of Asia.

The 25-year old, who has 52 caps for Sweden, joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad in 2022 and has since scored 62 times in 109 appearances in all competitions.

After Newcastle’s 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in Singapore on Sunday, Howe told reporters the tour was “business as usual” for the players.

“You don’t get a chance when you come on to these tours to think of anything other than training, the next game, the level is so high that even in these games we have to be very well prepared,” Howe said.

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“We have to try and be at our best. So naturally, I think we’re going to miss a player of Alex’s quality and the group are going to feel that. There’s no denying that.

“And I can’t sit here and claim that they [the players] won’t [be affected]. But they’re a very professional group of players and they’re doing brilliantly as far as I can see in terms of managing the situation.”

Newcastle, who qualified for the Champions League after finishing fifth in the Premier League last season, are next in action against a K-League XI in South Korea on Wednesday.

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