Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has described contract talks with Alexander Isak as a “complex situation”.

Newcastle signed Isak, 25, from Real Sociedad in August 2022 for a club record fee of £63m.

The Sweden striker has scored 36 goals in 74 games for the club but has netted just once this season.

Speaking before Newcastle’s Premier League trip to Chelsea on Sunday, Howe was asked about Isak’s future at St James’ Park.

“That’s a slightly more complex situation,” Howe said.

“Regarding contracts, I’m not involved in those discussions day to day. With Alex, he’s got a long contract anyway at the football club and we have to be really careful with our spending due to profit and sustainability rules (PSR). It’s not a clear-cut situation.”

Newcastle completed the sales of Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson before the PSR deadline on 30 June to avoid breaking the rules.

Howe continued: “We of course love him [Isak] and are desperate for him to stay at Newcastle for many years and score loads of goals for us. I don’t see a short-term issue with his contract.”

Isak is under contract until 2028 but has reportedly attracted interest from clubs including Arsenal and Chelsea., external

Howe’s comments come three days after Anthony Gordon signed a new long-term deal with the club.

The Newcastle boss described the deal as “a really smart bit of work from the football club and from Anthony”.

Isak returned from a toe injury in Newcastle’s 1-0 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, but Howe confirmed that team-mate Callum Wilson is not yet fit.

“We’re going to lose Callum [Wilson] for the next three games. He’s just had some tightness and felt he hasn’t been able to kick on to the last part,” Howe said.

“He’s got no injury as such, he just isn’t ready to come back yet.”