Alexander Isak’s Newcastle United future takes another twist after shock full-time reaction

With every day that passes, the prospect of Alexander Isak ever pulling on a Newcastle United shirt again seems to fade further into the distance, no matter how much Eddie Howe insists otherwise.

“Nothing has changed – but the door is well and truly open [for Isak]. He has to decide what he wants to do,” Howe reiterated after Saturday’s goalless draw against Aston Villa, a match that once again saw the Swedish striker absent from the squad.

 

At present, Isak’s stance appears crystal clear: he no longer wishes to be part of this Newcastle United setup. Howe, in contrast, remains hopeful that his record signing will return to training, reintegrate with the group, and become available for selection. Yet, despite the manager’s optimism, the striker’s silence speaks volumes.

 

For some fans, there was always a lingering belief that Isak could follow in the footsteps of other big-name stars who once seemed destined for the exit door. Harry Kane, at one stage, refused to play for Tottenham Hotspur, while Luis Suárez took a similar stand at Liverpool. Both eventually stayed put, found form, and re-established themselves as fan favourites.

 

But the tide seems to be turning in Isak’s case. The audible anger from Newcastle’s travelling supporters at Villa Park felt like a pivotal moment. The chants branding him a “greedy b******” at full-time were not only raw but also revealing. That kind of hostility, once out in the open, is rarely easy to reverse.

 

Of course, football can be fickle. Should Isak return, issue an apology, and rediscover his goalscoring touch, much of the ill-feeling would likely fade in the short term. Goals, after all, have a way of softening the hardest of hearts. Yet, even with that possibility, there is now a sense that the situation has reached a dangerous tipping point.

 

Newcastle’s performance on opening day, while spirited, lacked the cutting edge Isak would normally provide. The frustration among supporters only deepened as they watched Anthony Gordon work tirelessly in an unfamiliar central role and Anthony Elanga impress out wide, all while knowing the team’s most expensive player was deliberately sitting things out.

 

Howe, to his credit, attempted to focus on the positives. “It is very easy for the players to have a feeling of negativity going into the game or an excuse there ready, but there was no sign of that in our performance,” he said afterwards. “That is why I am so pleased with everybody. It is one game out of 38 in the Premier League season, so we are not going to overreact, but today was very good.”

 

But Howe’s encouraging words cannot mask the elephant in the room. For all his talk about Isak’s future being in the player’s hands, much depends on Liverpool. The Reds’ interest in the forward has been no secret, and should they improve their bid, a move seems inevitable—provided Newcastle can source a replacement in time. On the other hand, if Liverpool walk away, Isak’s challenge becomes far greater: to win back the trust and affection of a fanbase that once adored him but now feels betrayed.

 

No one knows for certain where Isak spent Newcastle’s season opener. Perhaps he watched from afar, or perhaps he avoided it altogether. Either way, he will not be ignorant of the chants that rang out against him in Birmingham. Only two months ago, those same fans sang his name in admiration; now, they are condemning him in public.

 

Few things encapsulate the unpredictability of football more than such dramatic swings in opinion. The striker who was once seen as the face of Newcastle’s future is now the subject of widespread anger.

 

What comes next is uncertain. Howe and his squad, meanwhile, continue to battle with what they have, giving everything for the shirt. But for Isak, the road back—if it even exists—has never looked steeper.