Eddie Howe has promised Newcastle will not make "poor" transfer decisions as German international Nick Woltemade's impending arrival opens the way for Alexander Isak to join Liverpool.
Woltemade arrived in Newcastle on Friday with a view to completing a club record £65 million ($87 million) switch from Stuttgart.
The 23-year-old striker's imminent move to St James' Park could allow Newcastle to finally accept Isak's demand to move to Liverpool.
The Premier League champions are ready to make an improved offer for Sweden striker Isak after their initial £110 million bid was rejected.
Howe hinted for the first time on Friday that he might reluctantly be open to allowing Isak to leave, because of the impact a sale would have on Newcastle's profit and sustainability calculations.
NEW:
— The Anfield Buzz (@TheAnfieldBuzz) August 29, 2025
Eddie Howe and Alexander Isak’s relationship is extremely difficult to repair.
Howe and Isak have not held face to face discussions for two weeks now! 🚨
[@Scottwilsonecho] pic.twitter.com/rhuzWbg8um
Isak, whose goals fired Newcastle to Champions League qualification and League Cup victory last season, has been training on his own since making clear his desire to move to Anfield.
Asked if he had a preference over Isak's situation, Howe told reporters: "Of course I would have a preference, but ultimately you have got to look at all the information.
'The most positive I've heard Eddie Howe on a transfer that hasn't been completed'#NUFC pic.twitter.com/NLP7ENzRYC
— The Chronicle (@ChronicleNUFC) August 29, 2025
"Of course, I have a footballing preference, but then you have to take everything else into account. You can't just be oblivious to things that have happened so I'm in that position, really, where I'm trying to separate myself because I have no control over it.
"I will let everything take its course and then deal with the eventuality.
"I don't think you can be emotionally involved. If you're emotionally involved, you're going to make a bad decision."
Newcastle were forced to sell Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh last year in order to avoid a points deduction, and a sizeable return on their £63 million investment in Isak would ease any PSR concerns.
"I've said many times we don't want to be in a position where we are having to make poor decisions – which we had to do, well-documented, previously – off the back of the decisions we've made trying to improve the squad, as we are now," Howe said.
"PSR continues to influence everything we do, but we don't want to be chasing a big deficit because that will have big negative consequences if we are in that position again."