Arne Slot reveals contact with Eddie Howe amid Isak transfer saga

Images via Liverpool FC and Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Amid the ongoing transfer saga involving Alexander Isak, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has revealed that he’s ‘exchanged messages’ with Eddie Howe, his opposite number at Newcastle.

The Magpies are reportedly braced for a second offer from Merseyside for the 25-year-old in the coming days after rejecting an opening bid of £110m at the start of August, and the off-field soap opera has added extra spice to tonight’s fixture between the two teams.

Despite the growing online animosity between the respective fan bases, the Reds boss has spoken in glowing terms about the man in the St James’ Park dugout, who previously worked with current Anfield sporting director Richard Hughes at Bournemouth.

Slot reveals text contact with Howe

Speaking to the media ahead of the showdown on Tyneside, Slot revealed that he’s maintained a greater regularity of contact with Howe than any other Premier League manager, notwithstanding the ongoing narrative over Isak.

The Liverpool head coach said (via GOAL): “In general, I have sympathy for Eddie Howe because he is a great human being. It’s maybe not a coincidence that I’ve texted with him because I think he’s a very nice, honest and polite colleague.”

When asked if he feels sympathy with the Newcastle boss over the transfer saga involving the Magpies striker, the Dutchman replied: “To a certain extent, because I like him as a manager and as a person. It’s not like we are friends and we are going to go on holiday together. You are asking me these questions because of Isak, of course.

“I added to that by saying we exchanged messages, the only manager I’ve exchanged messages with in the Premier League until now. I do speak to other managers after games. Maybe there’s a reason for that because my sports director has his number. Maybe he doesn’t have all the numbers of all the other managers.”

Slot and Howe will park the niceties by 8pm tonight!

Despite the bad blood between Liverpool and Newcastle over the course of the Isak saga, it must be said that Howe has carried himself with tremendous dignity as he tries to manage a potentially explosive situation.

While not shutting the door completely on the striker being reintegrated into the fold on Tyneside, the 47-year-old has also made it clear that he’s unimpressed with the player’s attempts to engineer a transfer to Anfield and has maintained a sense of being in control of the matter.

Any amicability between him and Slot will be parked for a couple of hours at St James’ Park tonight as the two teams vie for three precious Premier League points, having shared a win, a draw and a loss apiece from their three encounters last season.

While the two coaches would appear to enjoy a quite positive relationship, elite-level football is ultimately a business first, and we don’t doubt that the Liverpool boss is privately yearning for his boardroom superiors to complete a deal for Isak before next Monday’s deadline.

The pre-match discussion has been dominated by one man who won’t be on the pitch tonight – hopefully it’s a player currently in red who’ll be the headline act for the right reasons come 10pm!

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