Newcastle are left sweating over the availability of a record £60m signing Alexander Isaacs for a midweek trip to Liverpool…
- Newcastle signed Alexander Isaac’s club record for £60m last week
- Delay in work permit saw their 1–1 draw at Wolves from the stands
- Boss Eddie Howe has now revealed that the striker still hasn’t received confirmation
- Newcastle have up to 75 minutes before kick-off in Liverpool to collect permits
Newcastle United may have to wait 75 minutes before Wednesday night’s start in Liverpool to see if record signer Alexander Isaacs has a work permit to play.
The Sweden striker, a £60million arrival from Real Sociedad last week, had to sit in the stands during Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Wolves because his home office paperwork was not done.
That remains the case as of Tuesday morning, but Eddie Howe expects Isaac to be available at Anfield, especially as Bruno Guimaraes, Callum Wilson and Alan Saint-Maximin are all battling hamstring injuries.
Alexander Isaacs still to receive work permit confirmation from UK Home Office
Eddie Howe has revealed Newcastle have until 75 minutes before kick-off against Liverpool on Wednesday to confirm whether Isaacs to feature for the Magpies at Anfield
‘We still don’t know (whether the work permit will come or not),’ Howe said. ‘I hope so. It would be great to see him join us, but we are still in other people’s hands. We’re hoping it will happen before the game, but there’s no guarantee because I’m sitting here right now.
‘I think (the cut-off point) is 75 minutes before kick-off, so it can go down the wire. We will wait and see.’
Isaacs has trained with his teammates in recent days – it is believed he does not need a work permit to do so – and Howe said: ‘We have trained with him minimally between games, but he He has done what has been done. very well. He is looking bright and curious, but we have only seen him in glow. I am excited for him.’
Isaac (second row, third from left) was to watch Newcastle draw from the stands at Wolves
Meanwhile, Howe confirmed that Brazilian midfielder Bruno felt his hamstrings during the latter stages of his midweek win at Tranmere in the Carabao Cup, potentially being brought in for a penalty. He will not be able to play in the next two matches.
Saint-Maximin raises a similar problem at Molyneux and is a ‘concern’ for the trip to Merseyside, while Wilson is sidelined for at least 10 days.
Injuries are unlikely to force Newcastle to take drastic action in the transfer market – they have spent £115m this summer – and Howe said: ‘I don’t expect (important business) to be honest. We are very pleased with the business we have done.
‘The injuries we have, we consider them to be short-lived. So there may be some short-term pain around the squad, but in the long run I think we are very strong. It does not mean that we are completely closed, we are still watching.’
The Sweden striker moves to the northeast as the club’s £60million record signing
Loan deals are the most likely, and one player who is going out is goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
Slovakia are set to join Manchester United in a loan move with a £6m option, which will become mandatory if certain criteria are met.
But Howe said: ‘There have been discussions between the clubs. I don’t think anything is finished because I’m sitting here right now. From my point of view, I feel sad if Martin is gone, sad to see him go.
‘It’s certainly not something that we as a football club necessarily wanted, but we understand that there are always two sides to every story.’
