Alexander Isak is not playing today because of an ongoing transfer situation that remains unresolved. Newcastle United is determined to keep him beyond the transfer deadline on September 1, despite Isak publicly expressing his desire to leave and Liverpool's large offer being rejected. As a result, coach Eddie Howe has made it clear that Isak will not be included in the squad until the situation is clarified. Additionally, Isak has missed Newcastle's entire preseason and has been training separately, which raises concerns about his match readiness. He will also miss the match against Leeds United on August 30 due to this standoff. The coach has stated that Isak will only play again when things are resolved, and Isak is not currently ready to play a full 90 minutes given his lack of recent competitive matches and this complicated situation.
