Alexander Isak is understood to have declined a high-powered invitation to return to Newcastle\u2019s first-team fold.<\/p>\n
The Sweden striker has spent most of this summer on a form of strike as he attempts to engineer a move to Liverpool by refusing to play for Eddie Howe\u2019s first team or rejoin the squad for training.<\/p>\n
Newcastle\u2019s manager has repeatedly asked Isak to reintegrate as the club\u2019s Saudi Arabian owners decide whether to hold the 25-year-old to a \u00a3140,000-a-week contract with three years still outstanding or sell him to Anfield.<\/p>\n
On Monday afternoon Jamie Reuben, Newcastle\u2019s minority owner, and representatives of the majority owners, Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund, visited Isak and his representatives in Northumberland and attempted to broker a rapprochement.<\/p>\n
It is understood the forward was offered a lucrative pay rise in exchange for a willingness to stay for at least one more season but that prospect carried little appeal.<\/p>\n
This impasse is far from ideal from Howe, who needs to replace Isak\u2019s former understudy Callum Wilson, now at West Ham, and is running out of time to find a striker to fill the Swede\u2019s boots.<\/p>\n
Yasir al-Rumayyan, Newcastle\u2019s chair, is in the middle of a rare visit to the north-east and would ideally like to keep Isak, but Howe has made clear he only wants players who are fully committed and would like a swift resolution to a problem that has dominated this summer.<\/p>\n
In the hours before Newcastle\u2019s 3-2 home defeat<\/a> by Liverpool on Monday Rumayyan sanctioned a \u00a350m bid for the Wolves centre-forward J\u00f8rgen Strand Larsen. Although that offer was swiftly rejected it is thought an improved bid will follow and Newcastle are hopeful that will be accepted. Wolves continue to insist the Norwegian is not for sale.<\/p>\n Newcastle have also had a \u00a340m bid for Yoane Wissa rejected. Although Brentford do not want to lose Wissa the striker is desperate to join Newcastle and a transfer, although complicated, could yet transpire before Monday\u2019s deadline. A more readily available option is Chelsea\u2019s Nicolas Jackson, although he was far from the top of Howe\u2019s original attacking shortlist.<\/p>\n Will Osula, who scored Newcastle\u2019s equaliser against Liverpool, may start against Leeds on Saturday. Photograph: Paul Currie\/Colorsport\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Liverpool have had a \u00a3110m offer for Isak<\/a> rejected and know they will need to up it considerably to have a chance of extracting a player their manager, Arne Slot, has long coveted.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Football Daily<\/p>\n Kick off your evenings with the Guardian’s take on the world of football<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n With Isak making himself unavailable for Saturday\u2019s Premier League trip to Leeds and his understudy, the England winger Anthony Gordon, beginning a three-game suspension, Howe could start the inexperienced Will Osula.<\/p>\n Newcastle could also be without the key midfielders Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, owing to respective shoulder and groin injuries, as well as the concussed central defender Fabian Sch\u00e4r.<\/p>\n