Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe has mentioned the Magpies “treasure” Alexander Isak and count on him to stick with them this summer time regardless of intense hypothesis linking the Sweden striker with a transfer away from the membership.
Isak, who scored 27 objectives in all competitions final season, was not in Newcastle’s squad for his or her 4-0 pre-season pleasant thrashing at Celtic on Saturday.
“Alex has skilled and is okay however we didn’t wish to take the danger with him,” mentioned Howe, suggesting that Isak’s omission was a precaution in opposition to damage.
“It’s troublesome for me to offer 100% readability on any participant. All I can say is that Alex is pleased at Newcastle – he loves the gamers, the employees, the staff.”
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Is Alexander Isak injured? Why Isak didn’t play in opposition to Celtic
Isak missed Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Might 18 with a groin damage however was nearly ever-present for the remainder of the Premier League season.
There was a component of thriller across the 25-year-old’s withdrawal from Sweden’s squad for 2 friendlies at first of June, with the Swedish FA attributing the transfer to a “minor damage”.
“I’ve by no means had any subject with him,” Howe mentioned of a participant beneath contract till 2028. “I’m assured he’s going to be right here at first of the season.”
Alexander Isak newest: Howe calls ahead ‘irreplaceable’
Isak netted 23 league objectives in 2024/25, with winger Harvey Barnes notching 9 instances to place the winger a distant second amongst Newcastle’s scorers.
“Irreplaceable high gamers are so laborious to search out, recruit and turn into these gamers,” accepted Howe. “So when you’ve got them, you must treasure them. We’re determined to maintain him.”
William Osula, a 21-year-old signed from Sheffield United for £15 million in 2024, led the road for Newcastle within the first half at Celtic Park and is one among Howe’s few various out-and-out strikers.
The previous Derby County loanee from the Blades is but to begin a Premier League sport, though he scored his first top-flight aim in opposition to Ipswich City in April and has been prolific for Denmark at Beneath-21 degree.
New signing Seung-Soo Park – a highly-rated 18-year-old South Korean ahead – watched from the stands as Newcastle made a forgettable begin to their pre-season schedule.
Alexander Isak switch: Newcastle ‘busy’
Howe mentioned the departure of sporting director Paul Mitchell had offered him with “a busier summer time than I needed” in respect of transfers.
“Somebody in that position protects the supervisor from a whole lot of issues,” Howe defined. “The summer time definitely wasn’t a calming one for me to change off and see what occurs.
“It’s been difficult, in that respect. We want to ensure we’re robust sufficient for a protracted marketing campaign.”
Midfielder Sean Longstaff, who left for Leeds United for £12m on Friday after 19 years at Newcastle, was “somebody I by no means needed to lose”, Howe mentioned, including that funds, Premier League revenue and sustainability guidelines and “long-term planning” have affected his choices.
“He’s an enormous miss – he was very fashionable within the dressing room and on the pitch. He did an important job and tactically understood every part we would have liked him to do.
“On days like at present, once you’re having to place two groups out [in either half], you actually see his absence highlighted.”
Newcastle vs Celtic
Goalkeeper Nick Pope made a farcical error through the hammering in Glasgow in entrance of round 10,000 visiting followers.
Arne Engels put the reigning Scottish champions forward with a Twenty eighth-minute penalty following a Joe Willock foul earlier than Pope misjudged a header after advancing from his space to take care of a protracted ball from counterpart Kasper Schmeichel, permitting Johnny Kenny to double the Hoops’ lead.
Yang Hyun-Jun tapped in Daizen Maeda’s cross to compound Newcastle’s distress seven minutes after the restart, and Eire defender Liam Scales’s Seventy fifth-minute header accomplished the win for the hosts, whose supervisor, Brendan Rodgers, made 10 substitutions after the third aim.
Winger Anthony Elanga, who joined Newcastle for £55 million from Nottingham Forest final week, got here on at half-time and was vigorous.
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Newcastle groups, lineups for pre season pleasant vs Celtic
Newcastle beginning lineup: Pope, Trippier, Botman, Schar, Targett, Willock, Bruno, Miley, Murphy, Barnes, Osula
Newcastle second half lineup: Dubravka, Krafth, Lascelles, Burn, A Murphy, Tonali, White, Miley, Elanga, Gordon, Osula.
Newcastle pre season fixtures 2025/26
July 27 vs Arsenal (Singapore)TBC July/August vs Ok-League Choose XI (South Korea)TBC July/August vs Spurs (South Korea)August 9 vs Atletico Madrid (H)
When does Newcastle’s 2025/26 Premier League season begin?
The primary spherical of Premier League matches in 2025/26 might be on the weekend of August 16 2025, together with Newcastle’s journey to Aston Villa on Sunday, August 17 at 12:30 BST.
The sport in opposition to the Villans, who Newcastle pipped to a spot on this season’s Champions League, might be proven dwell within the UK on TNT Sports activities 1 and TNT Sports activities Final.
The final spherical of matches this season will all begin on the identical time on Might 24 2026. No rounds will happen inside 60 hours of one another and there might be no fixture on December 24.
