Newcastle striker Alexander Isak has reiterated his desire to stay at St James’ Park and be part of the “project” that the club are building.

The Swedish international was snapped up from Real Sociedad for £63m at the start of last season but reports of interest from Arsenal have surfaced in recent weeks. Asked about his future after the 1-1 draw against Everton, the forward said:

“Of course I want to be here in the future I came here for the project, I absolutely love playing here, I really feel at home. I want to finish this season in a good way for me and the team. I love playing here.”

Isak bagged his 19th goal in all competitions when he opened the scoring versus the Toffees on Tuesday evening and Magpies fans will be desperate for him to remain in the North East for the long term.

The club will do all they can to keep Isak

For Newcastle to progress, they need to be looking at strengthening their squad, rather than weakening it, so offloading their top scorer shouldn’t really be on the agenda.

It is believed that, if the Magpies are to sell a forward, it is more likely to be Callum Wilson, who has struggled with injury problems once more this campaign.

Newcastle are under pressure financially

It is widely believed that the club need to balance the books in order to stay within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.

With Isak likely to fetch in excess of £100m in today’s transfer market, the 24-year-old would be one of the likeliest candidates to depart if the Magpies need a big sale.

However, it should be emphasised that there are other players who could raise just as much money. Although supporters would be upset if Bruno Guimaraes goes, the Brazilian would fetch £100m if a team triggers his release clause.

You can watch the documentary – Newcastle United: The Road Back To Europe on Shots! TV here