Newcastle boss Eddie Howe insists Liverpool transfer target Alexander Isak still has a future at St James' Park - but says the striker cannot currently be involved with the squad and will miss their Premier League opener with Aston Villa.
Isak was back at Newcastle's facility on Monday morning having missed their pre-season tour and trained away from the rest of the squad, as instructed by Howe.
The Magpies rejected an opening offer of £110m plus add-ons from Liverpool on August 1, after Isak told the club he wanted to explore his options in the transfer window.
Isak was not involved in Newcastle's penultimate friendly of the summer against Espanyol, a 2-2 draw which saw William Osula start up front, with Howe refusing to put a timeline on when the Sweden international would return to the first-team fold.
Howe does not expect any resolution to the situation before their season opener at Villa Park next Saturday. He said on Friday: "I'd want Alex to be playing today, I'd want him training tomorrow. We would love the player to be with us - let me make that absolutely clear. There's no part of me that doesn't want that outcome.
"But I don't see that changing before Aston Villa, the current situation we're in."
Speaking further after the friendly at St James' Park, Howe said he had been in talks with Isak about finding a resolution.
"We've had discussions and it's clear at the moment we can't have him involved with the group," said Howe.
"I don't know how long that will be for. It's clear I can't involve him with the team at the moment.
"He is training later than the rest of the squad. There have been discussions since the tour. I don't think disciplinary action has happened."
When pushed for an answer on whether Isak has a future at the club, Howe added: "He is here, so of course he has a future at Newcastle. From our perspective, we would love to have him back with the team, but the situation has to be right for that to happen.
"He doesn't have a fitness issue. I'm aware of a feeling within the squad that there's something there not to the benefit of the group."
Isak had previously been training at his former club Real Sociedad's headquarters on his own, after missing Newcastle's pre-season tour of Asia.
Asked if the club could simply dig in their heels and refuse to sell their star frontman, Howe said: "I don't think it's that straightforward, otherwise we'd have done that a long time ago. I don't think we're in a position to do that currently.
"I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't think that's right. I think I've said enough."
The club's failure to land many potential signings has prompted suggestions that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which owns an 85 per cent stake, is not as engaged as it once was.
However, Howe, who admitted the Isak situation has unsettled a previously united squad, was unequivocal in his denial.
He said: "The owners are very much engaged, as much as they always have been.
"This has been a challenging period where there'll be a lot of different opinions on different subjects, but I can assure everybody connected with Newcastle that the owners are very much behind the project and fighting every day for the club."
Sesko becomes EIGHTH failed signing for Newcastle
Latest from Sky Sports News' Dharmesh Sheth, Amar Mehta and Vik Varange:
Newcastle are set to miss out on RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, with the player currently in the UK to finalise his move to Manchester United.
The deal breaks down to an initial £66.3m (€76.5m) and £7.37m (€8.5m) in performance-related add-ons.
The club's summer goes from bad to worse with Sesko becoming the eighth player they have been unable to secure.
The club has missed out on Dean Huijsen, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, James Trafford, Hugo Ekitike and now Sesko.
Seven of those players have signed, or are set to sign, for their Premier League rivals.
Newcastle first offered an initial fee of £65.3m plus £4.36m of add-ons (€75m+€5m) and then upped their bid to £69.7m (€80m) as a fixed fee plus add-ons.
Man Utd's agreed deal is an initial £66.3m (€76.5m) fee plus £7.37m (€8.5m) in performance-related add-ons.
From this season, Sky Sports' Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games this season will be on Sky Sports.
