Newcastle able to 'revert back to type' if targets do not join

BBC News

6 days ago

Alexander Isak's future and missing out on transfer targets have been consistent themes of Newcastle's summer, but ex-England midfielder Izzy Christiansen believes the club has a "trick in their armoury" if things do not work out.Magpies boss Eddie Howe suggested part of the reason Isak was not involved in their pre-season friendly with Celtic was because of speculation on his situation.Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike is set to join Liverpool.Discussing the club's summer on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, former England captain Steph Houghton said: "The moment he [Isak] has been left out of that friendly at Celtic, that is a bit of a telling sign."They have made a bigger issue out of it really. If he was just there then nobody would really be saying anything."Eddie has said himself, in terms of this summer, it hasn't been great, with changes behind the scenes, players' deals and getting targets in. We know how crucial Isak is to Newcastle and the target of having another striker there to help Isak that is now potentially going to Liverpool is big news because you know how hard it is to get a striker."If I was a Newcastle fan, I would be worried at this moment in time."Christiansen added: "I wouldn't necessarily say as a Newcastle fan that I was worried, but you would want to see positive activity over the next few weeks rather than negative ones."The targets that have chosen other clubs, they are also players who are of a different calibre to the ones that they have signed over the past five years. It is almost like if you don't get them through the door in this quest to evolve the football club, then they revert back to type anyway, which has got them to where they are; bringing in younger players with Eddie and his staff developing them and becoming competitive that way."It's almost like they do have a trick in their armoury that they know they can revert back to what they are good at. What they have done in this window is an attempt to kick on and who knows how that will work out for them."Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds