Isak arrives for awkward Newcastle talks amid Liverpool transfer drama

Newcastle are desperate to hold on to star striker Alexander Isak but face a huge task to do so with Liverpool gunning to sign the Swedish international after having a £120m bid rejected by the Magpies

Newcastle star Alexander Isak has been filmed arriving at the club's training ground as Liverpool's high profile pursuit of the Sweden striker drags on.

Isak has told Newcastle chiefs he wants to consider his options this summer amid interest from the Reds, who have already had a £110million bid rejected, and he did not joined his team-mates on their pre-season tour in Asia.

The striker has been in high demand after a sensational season in the Premier League, scoring 27 goals, and Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move in this transfer window.

But after refusing to link up with the rest of the squad in pre-season, he decided to train alone at the training facilities of former club Real Sociedad to keep himself ticking over.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe admitted on Sunday he was unsure if Isak would return to the club's training ground amid doubt over his future.

But Sky Sports showed images of Isak arriving at Newcastle's complex on Monday morning. Isak was seen driving into the facility in his Mercedes-Benz 4x4 and Sky reported that he was the only player present in the training ground because the squad had been given rest after landing from South Korea early this morning.

It comes less than 24 hours after Howe spoke out on his future and said he did not have control over what happened next.

"Of course I'd like him to be (there), but whether he will I don’t know at this moment in time,’ he said. "e have been here with the time difference, preparing for training and for games. Other people have been dealing with that situation back at home."

But he issued a warning to the player for his refusal to link up with the squad in pre-season, saying no one in the team could "act poorly".

"You have to earn the right to train with us," he added. "We are Newcastle United. The player has a responsibility here to be part of a team and part of a squad - you have to act in the right way. So that is also at play here.

"We will make sure that any player does that to earn the right to train with the group. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal."

Newcastle are bracing for an improved offer from Liverpool, who are said to be holding off until the Magpies know whether they have been successful in signing Benjamin Sesko - who could be Isak's long-term successor - before making another bid.