'More to come' from Alexander Isak as Newcastle United striker enjoys run of goalscoring form

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe believes there is still more to come from in-form striker Alexander Isak.

The Swedish international has been a constant problem for opposition defenders of late, netting three goals in his last two games.

The Magpies' remain firmly in the hunt for European football and Isak is set to be crucial to their hopes, with Howe praising his "transformational" impact on the team.

"When you’ve got any of your attacking players in the form he’s in I think it transforms through the team," he said ahead of Saturday's encounter against Fulham. "He’s in a really good place and it’s great to see him in the type of form he is in.

"He deserves a lot of credit for how he’s played this year. He’s an exceptional talent and I hope he can get even better from this point - I think there’s more to come from him."

Isak's performances since joining the club from Real Sociedad in 2022 have inevitably attracted the attention of other clubs, making him a source of transfer speculation.

Yet the rumours do not worry Howe with the forward as a major part of the club's long-term project.

He explained: “I don’t fear that. In some senses, that’s what you want because it means your players are playing at a level that everyone appreciates and I want my players all of them to be playing above what they think they’re capable of being.

“So no, I don’t think fear is the right word. I want Alex to keep scoring goals, I want him to keep being in the headlines, I’m sure he wants the same thing, but we want to keep him long-term.”

Perhaps the best way to ensure the club's top talents remain at St James' Park is to secure European football next season.

The Magpies currently sit eighth in the Premier League, one point behind West Ham in the European Conference League slot and four points off Manchester United in the Europa League places.

However, Howe does not believe it will be the only factor in players' minds given the ambition the club aims to show.

“It will help, but I don’t think it will be the defining factor," he said. "That’s in the players’ hands and the club’s hands. Europe would certainly help.

“A lot will depend on our ambitions and where the club is going to go in the foreseeable future. I don’t think one season necessarily dictates that it’s the general feeling of where the club is going to go.

“We as a football club need to continue to push forward. You set your ambitions not just in terms of talking, but in actions, so we need to show to them that we are a club moving forward.”

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