Isak insists he is keen to stay in Toon for project
ALEXANDER ISAK has banned transfer talk and declared himself “here for the project” at Newcastle.
The forward will be in demand this summer after a hugely impressive season, with title contenders Arsenal watching the £100million-rated star.
Isak is Eddie Howe’s prize asset, along with Bruno Guimaraes, and the club are vulnerable to having to sell one of them to fund rebuilding, after being hamstrung by sustainability rules.
Guimaraes has been linked with being Paris Saint-Germain’s big summer deal.
Isak is a rare commodity, a lead striker who scores goals, dribbles, runs from deep and has individual skill.
The Swede, who hit his 15th Premier League goal of the season in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw against Everton on Tuesday, said: “I want to be here in the future. I came here for the project.
“I love playing here, I really feel at home.
“I want to finish this season in a good way for me and the team.
“I don’t want to entertain these type of questions and rumours.
It’s not my position.
“We have important games, there’s no focus there [on my future], I just want to do good for the team.”
Manager
Howe said of his star man: “He is electric, fit and confident at the moment.To be the team we want to be, we need to keep our best players.
“Isak is a scorer of great goals. His goal [against Everton] was high level.
“We have limitless potential in him.
“He had experiences, travelled to different leagues and we can develop his talent to show what he has.
“You have to try to keep your best players. Whether you can continue to do that with the rules now, that is not down to me.”
Isak is determined to help Newcastle get back into Europe next season.
He added: “We want Europe.We have to keep winning games and we’ll see which place is available.
“I’m happy with my goal tally. Usually I sum up the season after it’s finished.
“If we want to go up the table we have to be consistent.We had a lot of chances to win the game against Everton so we’re gutted.”
Newcastle have struggled at times this season, and have won just two of their past six Premier League games.
Asked what has changed from last season’s fourthplaced finish, Isak replied: “It’s hard to say what is the difference. “Injuries and things. It’s been hard with the availability of players.”