The Alexander Isak saga at Newcastle United has taken another twist — and former Magpies boss Sam Allardyce isn’t mincing his words about how the club should handle it. With the Swedish striker refusing to pull on the black-and-white shirt again and the transfer deadline creeping closer, Newcastle’s hierarchy face a decision that could shape their season.

According to Allardyce, the situation has boiled down to just two possible outcomes: cash in now, or send the striker to train away from the first team until he changes his tune. Neither option is ideal, but with tensions high and time running out, something will have to give.

Isak’s declaration that he will not feature for Newcastle again has put the club in a bind. He’s currently absent from first-team training, yet no concrete move has materialised to take him away from Tyneside. While Liverpool tested the waters with a £110 million bid earlier this month, Newcastle rejected it instantly, signalling their unwillingness to let their top scorer leave — at least not for that figure.

Since then, there’s been little in the way of serious offers. The clock is ticking, but the club hasn’t lined up a clear replacement either, which only makes the potential loss of Isak more damaging. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Callum Wilson has already left on a free transfer earlier this summer, leaving Newcastle light up front.

There’s talk of interest in Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, who is also in a dispute with his club, but that chase seems separate from the Isak dilemma. Even if Wissa arrives, it won’t directly solve the issue of a £60+ goal striker sitting out games by choice.

For Allardyce, Newcastle’s options are clear-cut, even if they’re both unappealing. Speaking to talkSPORT, he made it plain: once a player is set on leaving, keeping them rarely works out in the long run. The only question, in his eyes, is whether the club wants to send a message to the rest of the league or secure the highest possible fee before the window shuts.

“Sell him for the best price you can get,” Allardyce suggested, emphasising that dragging out the conflict benefits nobody. If Isak remains absent from training and matches, the club could consider withholding his wages — but as the former manager noted, that route often creates more problems than it solves.

Alternatively, the club could dig in and let the 24-year-old spend the season in the reserves. That move, while financially costly, would send a strong warning to other players thinking of forcing their way out despite being tied to a long contract. With three years left on Isak’s deal, Newcastle have the leverage to make a stand — but that would require serious resolve from the board and owners.