‘Considerable blow’ – Eddie Howe can’t help but mention Liverpool player after Sunderland defeat | OneFootball

Eddie Howe has labelled the departure of Alexander Isak in the summer as a ‘considerable blow’ for Newcastle.

The Magpies suffered a damaging 2-1 defeat to bitter rivals Sunderland on Sunday at St. James’ Park despite taking the lead in the first half.

The hosts were crying out for someone with the quality of Isak, who signed for Liverpool for £125m last year, at the top end of the pitch against the Mackems with summer signings Nick Woltamade and Yoane Wissa struggling to hit the heights expected of them so far this term.

“Losing Alex last summer was a considerable blow,” the former Bournemouth boss said (as quoted by Newcastle World). “Again, we can’t feel sorry for ourselves, and we can’t use excuses. We have to find a way to be successful despite all of these things.

“But with that, I think there has to be an understanding of the tough conditions that we’re in.”

The ‘tough conditions’ Howe is referring to is a result of limitations placed on the club by Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and UEFA FFP regulations due to a £73.4m loss recorded in early 2024.

Newcastle are therefore limited in how much money they can spend on new signings – as they can only lose a maximum of £105m over a rolling three-year period.

The Isak transfer-saga

Isak was a major signing for Liverpool in the summer after weeks of controversy which resulted in him being forced to train alone at Newcastle and him accusing his former side via social media of ‘broken promises’.

After suffering an ankle injury five days before Christmas during the defeat of Spurs in London, the Sweden international has been sidelined ever since.

The Swede has made just 16 appearances for the Premier League champions this term (across all competitions) – scoring three goals and registering an assist in the process.

With Liverpool’s defence of their league title nothing short of abysmal, the Reds were boosted by an update from Paul Joyce earlier this month, who revealed our No. 9 should return to action after the current international break as he enters the final stages of his rehabilitation.

The former Real Sociedad man could play a vital part in the run-in as we aim to secure a top four finish and taste success in Europe in our pursuit of a seventh European Cup.