Newcastle United are reported to have taken contingency steps over the proposed exit of one of their stars next summer.
Eddie Howe - ranked at no.14 in FourFourTwo's list of the best managers in the world right now - saw his side post an impressive home win over Arsenal just a few weeks ago, with another victory against Nottingham Forest ensuring positivity is high heading into the international break.
But with fears over how much they can spend in January, the Magpies will hope memories of the Marc Guehi saga can be quickly forgotten, but there does now seem to be more bad news on the horizon.
- 'Because of the way that the rules are structured, no one can afford Alexander Isak. Newcastle United wouldn't even entertain £150m - because they couldn't replace him': Toon legend Alan Shearer explains why striker is SO valuable to Magpies
- Newcastle United drop huge summer transfer plan as Alexander Isak future becomes clear: report
Newcastle United star Alexander Isak tipped to leave St James' Park in 2025 amid faltering contract discussions
Liverpool and Manchester City are said to be monitoring Alexander Isak's ongoing situation in the north-east, with it clear a resolution over his future needed to be found and fast.
New contracts have already been agreed with Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon but is the Sweden international who continues to cause the most concern, given the Magpies need to meet the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rulings (PSR).
According to TBR Football, Isak's camp has been left 'frustrated' given the amount of time it has taken the club to agree regarding a contract extension for the former Real Sociedad man.
A number of hurdles are said to have emerged with it now expected Isak will leave the club in 2025 even if Newcastle secure a return to the Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League this season.
"That's a slightly more complex situation," Howe said on the matter as quoted by BBC Sport recently. "Regarding contracts, I'm not involved in those discussions day to day.
"With Alex, he's got a long contract anyway at the football club and we have to be really careful with our spending due to profit and sustainability rules (PSR). It's not a clear-cut situation."
In FourFourTwo's view, a player of Isak's quality should already be playing in Europe and having tasted the experience already across his career, you do feel if Newcastle cannot secure a return this term, he could be on his way out of the club and onto bigger things.
Newcastle United are back in Premier League action in a couple weeks following the international break and are due to take on West Ham United on November 25.
