Eddie Howe has experienced just one public dispute with a Newcastle United player until this summer. That specific incident occurred when winger Ryan Fraser disappeared from view following a spell as an unused substitute during the away fixture against AFC Bournemouth in March 2023.

Fraser found himself demoted to the reserves and was barred from returning to the club's first-team training facility at Benton, never featuring for the senior squad again. At the time, Howe said: "I made the decision to concentrate on the players that are committed to Newcastle and for the benefit of the group I made that call."

Isak is scarcely demonstrating dedication at present and whilst he maintains his silence, only he can genuinely determine whether he feels disappointed by the absence of a contract proposal or failure to fulfil what was pledged.

As we approach the Premier League's major launch, and with the Alexander Isak matter still outstanding, it could be a strategy that Howe considers once more as speculation regarding Liverpool continues to circulate within the corridors at Benton.

The significant distinction between this and Fraser, is that the Isak affair has now persisted for longer without him being dispatched to train with the Under-21s at Little Benton.

Additionally, the regrettable episode contains greater intricacies and, naturally, represents a far more prominent tale given Isak's standing and transfer fee. Isak has been training solo at Benton, barely interacting with his team-mates and even missed the team barbecue last week.

This was due to Howe's decision that Isak wasn't ready to return to first-team action for the friendlies against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid.

Since then, Newcastle have been preparing for their match against Aston Villa and have been active in the transfer window, signing Malick Thiaw from AC Milan and showing interest in Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey.

The situation with Isak is more complex than that of Fraser or any other player Howe has had to deal with since becoming head coach.

Despite rumours from his agent that he doesn't want to play for United again, there's a chance that Isak could still be Newcastle's top striker. Howe has the ability to convince him to return and Isak is smart enough to realise he could work his way back into contention for Liverpool.

Howe, who is known for his emotional intelligence, didn't want this situation for Isak. The plan was to reintegrate Isak into training upon the club's return from the Far East.

Has Isak's behaviour this summer annoyed Howe?

Indeed, this was emphasised when he informed journalists in Seoul that he'd learned Isak had been training solo in Spain "via the media", before asserting that players must: "Earn the right to train with the first-team".

As the situation continues to loom over Newcastle, it's now a matter of time before the door swings from being slightly open for Isak to firmly shut.

If Isak declines to play for Newcastle and fails to secure his transfer to Liverpool, then his only option will be a spell at the reserve team training base.

There have been more prominent figures than Fraser who have been relegated to train with the second string, such as Hatem Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveaux, while Henri Saivet, Tim Krul, Jeff Hendrick, and Jack Colback all spent time at Little Benton.

Therefore, a demotion to the reserves remains a possibility for Isak, while another similarity to the Fraser saga is that 12 months ago, prior to the Scot's sale to Southampton, Newcastle's first home match was against the preferred employers of the star in question.

Newcastle finalised the deal a few days after defeating the Saints last year, and with Liverpool still keeping tabs on Isak's situation, history could repeat itself this summer.

The idea of Isak facing off against Newcastle at St James' Park for a Monday night match broadcast live on Sky Sports is a dream scenario for TV producers, but for Toon bosses, it seems utterly inconceivable.