Newcastle will NOT sell Alexander Isak this summer, insists Eddie Howe... as he hails 'outstanding talent' amid Arsenal interest in the Swedish striker

Eddie Howe says Newcastle have no intention of listening to offers for Alexander Isak this summer.

The Sweden striker, a £63million club-record buy in 2022, took his tally for the season to 18 with a pair of penalties during Saturday's 4-3 win over West Ham.

Isak is attracting interest from Arsenal, among others, and Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales said in January that every player has their price, given the need to trade in a world of Profit and Sustainability Rules.

But Isak, says Howe, is off limits, despite the player saying during the international break that, 'if things show up, things can happen'.

'He's an outstanding talent and no one connected with Newcastle would want to lose him,' said the head coach.

'He was excellent on Saturday. He didn't score in open play but his two penalties were outstanding and his general play was very good. His link play, his athleticism, he looked in a really good place.'

With Callum Wilson still sidelined with a pectoral issue, Howe is reliant on Isak as his only fit centre-forward. This was his fifth consecutive full match for club and country and he is beginning to answer doubts over his ability to stay fit.

Mail Sport reported on Friday how those inside the club are aware of interest in Isak but, rather, they want to build a forward line around him. It is more likely that Wilson moves on before next season. Howe believes Isak is the 'all-round striker' and says he can 'go on to achieve incredible things in his career'.

Another for whom he has high hopes is Elliot Anderson. The 21-year-old has missed much of this campaign because of a back injury, but he came from the bench to help inspire the come-from-behind win against West Ham.

Howe said: 'I felt at the start of the season he would come into the team and have an outstanding season. I thought it would be his breakthrough season because, during pre-season, he was outstanding.

'Unfortunately, we lost him through, again, another strange injury, but he's back and he's looked really good. As much as I can talk about his potential and what he can deliver, he needs to deliver it when the pressure is on, and he did on Saturday. I thought he was sensational when he came on.'

'He is different. He's got that mix of technical ability, a goal scorer's mindset, he'll deliver the last pass but he's also tenacious and athletically he's very good. Although he's been out injured and he's sort of early steps, he's very good athletically, so I hope for really big things, just as long as he can stay fit.'

Lewis Hall was brought on at the same time as Anderson and the Chelsea loanee, whose £28m move will be made permanent in July, is starting to look like the player Howe hoped he would be.

'It's huge for him and it's huge for us because he's done an incredible amount of work behind the scenes to work on various aspects of his game, as we would with any young player,' said Howe.

'He made a real difference on Saturday and I thought he came on against Manchester City and did really well. That's his part of the bargain, when he plays he has to do well enough to try and stay in, so he's given me a lot of food for thought.'