Newcastle are expected to initiate disciplinary proceedings on star man Alexander Isak with the striker still absent from training.
The 25-year-old is adamant on a move away from the club this summer with Anfield his only destination.
Recently, it was said that the former Real Sociedad forward has moved out of his Tyneside residence, insisting he will not return.
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Liverpool are waiting in the wings after their initial £110million bid at the start of the month was strongly rejected. They claim they will not return to the table until Newcastle open the door to an exit.
Alexander Isak has gone to drastic measures to force a move
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That will only be the case if the Magpies can find a suitable replacement for the striker, after missing out on major targets such as Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro.
Newcastle are clear: they will not be bullied into selling Isak. Not by the player, nor by Liverpool. But they are left with a highly valuable asset that, as of now, is of no use to them.
This is because of the continuing stubborn approach he is taking - refusing to take part in training in any capacity with the squad. It has been weeks since most team-mates have even seen him.
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Alexander Isak joined the Magpies in a deal worth £63million in August 2022 | PAWhile no disciplinary action has been taken as of yet, Eddie Howe's side face Aston Villa on Saturday and Isak will not be available.
This means that, come Sunday, the striker will have missed a competitive match and therefore disciplinary action is expected to take place.
The club have continued to pay his £140,000-a-week salary throughout the ordeal, but that could be set to change when he misses competitive games.
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It would be hard to argue against fining the player, who insists he will strike until a move to Liverpool comes to fruition.
The saga has impacted Newcastle's pre-season, with boss Howe detailing this in a recent interview.
"It's not been ideal," Howe said to BBC Sport ahead of their Premier League curtain-raiser. "I don't think it's been healthy for us."
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Eddie Howe explained his frustrations with the saga ahead of their Premier League opener at Aston Villa
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"I'm not going to deny that it's been a big challenge. For me, Alex is one of, if not the, best strikers in the world. So, to miss him from your squad leaves a huge gap.
"Morale was certainly affected early on during pre-season, there's no denying that. There was nothing that I could do to affect that."
Despite their woes this summer, the Tyneside club have still managed to bring in Anthony Elanga, Aaron Ramsdale and Malick Thiaw.
Yoane Wissa is also expected to move to St James' Park after embarking on a similar strike policy as Isak at the Gtech Community Stadium. He will also be unavailable for Keith Andrew's maiden Premier League game at the helm of the Bees.
Another possibility is that Isak remains and all is forgotten for another year. Newcastle fans may have difficulty coming to terms with seeing him wear the black and white again, but it might be the scenario in just a few weeks' time.
People come and go through football's revolving door constantly, but Isak's attempt to force his way through has ruffled feathers. While under the guise of his agent, who is helping to orchestrate this ordeal, Isak has shown his true colours - and they're not black and white.