The Newcastle compromise needed to salvage desperate Alexander Isak situation | OneFootball

About a quarter of an hour after the breathless conclusion to a crazy game, Yasir al-Rumayyan made his way into and up the Milburn Stand. The name is proof Newcastle United celebrate their goalscorers, just as the statue of Alan Shearer is.

But this summer has been dominated by a forward who, if he gets his way, won’t end up with a double century of Newcastle goals. The landscape of St James’ Park now includes the pitchside hoardings advertising the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Al-Rumayyan is its governor as well as Newcastle’s chairman. His various duties mean he is an infrequent sight at their games. He picked an August meeting with Liverpool to attend. “I don’t know why he is here,” said Eddie Howe, before quickly pivoting to say his presence was appreciated.

It was nevertheless an illustration that Howe has been sidelined in a saga. He will not determine Alexander Isak’s future. He was unaware whether directors Jamie Reuben and Jacobo Solis had met the sulking striker on Monday. He was concentrating on those players still actually at his disposal. “Naturally, I want players that are committed to Newcastle,” he said, having received a sweat-soaked illustration that the rest are.

Perhaps it was a hint that, if Howe had his way, Isak would be sold. That might be a hard-headed recognition that things have gone beyond the point of no return. Isak clearly underestimated the difficulties of extricating himself from Newcastle, but he has had a destabilising effect that some may find hard to forgive.

The message from the Gallowgate End was pointed. “Nothing is achieved alone,” read a banner. “We are a city. A whole population. We are Newcastle United.” The unity Howe prizes was demonstrated in the striker’s absence. The goals Isak delivers have been in shorter supply without him. So far this season, Newcastle have a higher xG than Liverpool but have scored two goals to the champions’ seven and got one point to their six.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are being dragged ever deeper into a striking equivalent of quicksand, their plight worsening as they try to get out. Two words – what if? – could figure prominently. Callum Wilson, now on the bench at West Ham, may think that if he had just re-signed at Newcastle, he would be starting for a rather better team now. It could be another misjudgement in a list of plenty.

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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe faces a tricky situation (REUTERS)

Newcastle, as Howe often notes, have not replaced him. Meanwhile, they are flailing around, seeing bids for Yoane Wissa and Jorgen Strand Larsen rejected. Each is a fine player but the prices already look excessive; yet Strand Larsen is worth more to Wolves at this stage of the window because selling him, without the time to find a suitable recruit, could condemn them to relegation. The economics of a deal shift in the last few days of a window.

So, too, the reality that a shopping list now reflects who is left on the shelves. “Your names at the beginning and end of the window are always very different because a lot of the players will have moved,” reflected Howe. “But we have to be careful we don’t make a decision that impacts the long term.” That means PSR, as well as trying not to pivot to plan Z and lumber the squad with someone he doesn’t really want.

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Alexander Isak remains on the outside at Newcastle with his intent to force a move away (AP)

Those he did have gone elsewhere. There has been a suggestion Newcastle should have stayed in their lane; not shown ambition; not targeted talent. That feels unfair, given the standard of the team, the carrot of Champions League football, the specialness of St James’ Park on Monday night. Moreover, they had a longstanding interest in Hugo Ekitike; but so did Liverpool. Benjamin Sesko may yet wonder if he made the right choice in opting for Manchester United.

But given Isak’s excellence, there is a select number of players Newcastle could have plausibly unveiled as his successor. Sesko? Yes. Ekitike? Definitely. Nicolas Jackson? Definitely not; Chelsea’s third-choice striker, behind two Newcastle failed to sign, is an erratic finisher who can be a disciplinary liability.

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Brentford’s Yoane Wissa is a target for Newcastle (PA Wire)

Which, at times, it seems as though Newcastle already have in Anthony Gordon. The makeshift striker got a third red card in 17 months against Liverpool. He is starting to bear too many similarities to Alan Smith: not the famously well-behaved Arsenal forward of that name, who ended his career with twice as many Golden Boots as bookings, but the Leeds tearaway who terrorised defenders but whose ratios of goals to sendings-off was skewed in the wrong direction.

Gordon is suspended now. Even after Will Osula’s dramatic goal on Monday, Howe was non-committal about the rookie starting at Leeds on Saturday. The sense is that he doesn’t think he is ready. It is understandable if Howe has tired of this transfer window. He doesn’t want its lengthiest saga to go to the final day. “We want clarity, we want to move forward, and we want the narrative to change,” he said.

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Newcastle have had a offer rejected by Wolves for striker Jorgen Strand Larsen (PA Wire)

Which, as it has done for a while, requires something to change. Instead, the clock has ticked down. No one has benefited. Still more than before, Newcastle need the pragmatic compromise of Isak staying for the season, perhaps in return for a guaranteed exit next summer. But Isak could need the return to first-team football that might necessitate repentance and reintegration if Newcastle refuse to sell. Because, for now, accepting Liverpool’s offer would bring a vast sum of money but would still leave the club with other problems.