FOR MANY Newcastle supporters it’s been the season of a lifetime.
Finally the 70-year wait for silverware is over after they beat Liverpool at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup.
PAFor Newcastle, Sunday’s match against Everton is huge[/caption]
GettyA win should see the Magpies secure Champions League football[/caption]
However, as always in football, the good times rarely last and they perhaps face an even bigger ‘cup final’ this Sunday.
And the prize could very well be Alexander Isak in addition to Champions League football.
A few days ago it was all positivity as the confident Toon Army headed to Arsenal dreaming of a fourth-straight win over the Gunners and climbing to second.
But Declan Rice’s strike not only ruined their hopes of a highest Premier League finish since 1997, it left them stuck in a tense final day shootout for a top five finish in a match that may also prove to be pivotal for the long-term future of Isak.
First things first, Newcastle will be desperate just to have the Swedish superstar back in Black and White this weekend against Everton.
Despite their 27-goal top scorer being off form for several weeks, he was sorely missed at the Emirates.
And, if anything, his reported valuation of £150m actually INCREASED despite him not even being on the field due to a “minor groin issue”.
Isak, a £63m arrival from Real Sociedad in 2022, has missed four top-flight matches this season with the Magpies collecting only a point without him and failing to even score in open play.
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GettyShould Newcastle lose on Sunday, it could spell the end of Alexader Isak’s time at the club[/caption]
Eddie Howe knows more than anybody how vital the 25-year-old is to his team and needs him more than ever against the Toffees at St. James’.
Though his absence also highlighted just how much he cannot afford to lose Isak either – no matter what money is on offer.
Arsenal, who many opposition fans cheekily joked he skipped facing as they are his ‘parent club’, have held an interest in the hotshot for years.
They are continually linked with a move for him but now they also face competition from Premier League title winners Liverpool.
Howe recently revealed his sense of frustration that star men like Isak, captain Bruno Guimaraes and winger Anthony Gordon are constantly linked with moves away.
But until Newcastle are playing Champions League season-after-season and able to compete financially with the top guns now their recent PSR constraints holding them back then the speculation and interest will not go away.
And even Howe is too long in the tooth to stick his flag in the ground and declare that Isak will 100 per cent still be in the North East next term.
Although he was also clear that everyone at the club knows the only way to reach the top is hang on to the striker and their other crown jewels no matter what money may be on offer.
AFPArsenal boss Mikel Arteta is desperate for an out and out striker and Isak certainly fits the bill[/caption]
Howe said: “I never make those guarantees about any player and it’s not to do with Alex’s future but I’d be foolish to sit here and do anything like that. We want to keep our strongest players, I’ve said that ever since I’ve been here and sat in this seat.
“We have to try and keep our best players and bring in more good players to make us even stronger because the ambition of the club and everyone connected with the club is long-term success and that’s the only way to get that.”
While the above words have been twisted, spun and even claimed to be Howe opening the door for a big-money exit, one of their top priorities is to re-open talks on a contract extension for the goal-getter.
Newcastle are under no pressure to sell and have him tied down on a package worth around £130,000-a-week until 2028.
But they have been expecting more noise from rival clubs to try and unsettle their talisman and are also bracing themselves for similar tactics regarding Guimaraes and Gordon.
Tentative contract talks took place in the Autumn but both camps were happy to push them back until the end of the season.
AlamyLiverpool romped to the Premier League title this season, but boss Arne Slot will not rest on his laurels[/caption]
Isak’s goals, including the Wembley winner, have definitely pushed up his bargaining power.
Now Newcastle, even with the Carabao Cup as some potential leverage, desperately need their own bargaining chips bolstered – and Champions League qualification would certainly do it.
It is a stage all of the big hitters want to play on and Isak has already had a taste of it on Tyneside.
After sticking around despite missing out on Europe completely last season, the idea of another campaign not being able to perform on the grandest stage will not be greeted warmly.
That is why to avoid months of speculation, rumours, whispering and even potential unrest from the player himself that a potential defeat to the Blues could bring, it is vital that Newcastle take matters into their own hands come Sunday.
A second Champions League qualification in three years and a piece of silverware to boot are the perfect ingredients for both camps to begin thrashing out an extended contract.
A victory for Toon would be a win for everybody associated with the Mags and the forward while it would also deliver a crushing blow to the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool.
However, if David Moyes’ men come and spoil the St James’ party, then a very different summer transfer window could lay for Howe and his recruitment plans.
But rather than finish on that worrying note, at least the man himself has previously stated that he believes he can achieve his football ambitions at Newcastle.
Isak declared: “That’s why I came here.”
GettySeveral clubs have been considering a move for Isak[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
