A worrying injury update has emerged on Newcastle United centre-forward Alexander Isak...

What's the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that Eddie Howe will be without the £60m signing for the next two matches, having missed the clash with Manchester United shortly after this claim, after breaking down in training.

Hope said: "Exclusive: Newcastle’s Alexander Isak suffers setback in recovery from thigh injury after pulling up with same problem. £60m striker was nearing return but now set to miss at least next 3 games after fresh blow. More news awaited on full timescale."

The accompanying article states that the club expected him to be available for selection this week before he suffered a reoccurrence of his knock recently.

Huge blow

This could be a huge blow for Howe as Isak was a club-record signing in the summer and enjoyed a superb start to his career at St. James' Park by scoring two goals in three Premier League appearances.

Back in August, the head coach heaped praise on the forward and backed him to hit the ground running in England as he said:

"He has the mix of qualities I like in a forward. He scores goals, he has pace, technical ability, dribbling ability and he's got a bit of an X-factor about him.

"The English game will suit his profile, he's a really good athlete and technically really good so he's got a whole host of things going for him and his best years are still ahead of him."

Isak's first few performances for the Magpies proved the former Bournemouth boss right as he found the back of the net against Liverpool and the Cherries, whilst also creating three chances for his teammates in that time.

The Sweden international joined Newcastle after scoring 23 goals in his last two full La Liga seasons combined for Real Sociedad and his fast start in front of goal in the Premier League suggests that he has the quality to replicate that form on Tyneside.

He has the potential to be a prolific number nine for Howe and that is why this injury setback is a big blow for the head coach as it now remains to be seen when he will be available for selection again.

Callum Wilson is currently fit and starting games for the club but he has missed a whopping 43 competitive games due to injury since the start of the 2020/21 campaign and this suggests that there is a reasonable chance that he suffers a knock before Isak is back.

That would leave the club with Chris Wood as their only number nine to select and he has scored just twice in 25 league matches since joining from Burnley in January.

Therefore, losing Isak for an undetermined period of time is a seismic blow for Newcastle and Howe will be hoping that it does not drag on any longer than Hope's claim of a minimum of three matches.