Eddie Howe has revealed that Alexander Isak looked 'very good' when he played out wide in training earlier this season as the Newcastle United boss weighs up how to reintegrate the record signing next month.
Isak has not featured for Newcastle since injuring his thigh back in September, but the Sweden international is out running and kicking a ball again. Although Newcastle are conscious of easing Isak back in, after the striker previously suffered a setback, Howe hopes the 23-year-old has a big role to play in a busy January.
Newcastle looked a little light up front earlier this season - Isak, Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin all suffered muscle injuries at various points - but Howe will soon have a plethora of options battling it out for just three starting spots in his preferred 4-3-3 formation. With Miguel Almiron in sensational form before the World Cup break and Callum Wilson leading the line as the club's undisputed number nine, it will be interesting to see how Isak is utilised in the second half of the season.
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Isak played exclusively up front when fit earlier this season, because Wilson was injured at the time, but Howe feels the £80m pair could complement each other as they have different strengths. Isak and Wilson have yet to train together - let alone play in the same side - but the former has been trialled out wide before.
"He has done it," Howe told reporters. "He has played both sides. If you asked him, I wouldn't say that he would say it is his best position. But he played there a couple of times in training before the injury and looked very good so it's another string to his bow and certainly something we would not rule out."
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