Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle United are still dealing with the impact of Alexander Isak‘s controversial summer departure to Liverpool.

Newcastle ultimately raked in £130 million ($179m) for the Sweden striker after he went on strike in an attempt to force a move to Anfield, less than a week after the Reds emerged from August’s trip to St James’ Park with a last-gasp 3-2 Premier League win over Howe’s 10 men.

They invested the bulk of that in club record £69m signing Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, who cost them £55m, and as they prepare for Saturday’s reverse fixture at Anfield, the process of integrating them into the team is ongoing.

Asked how challenging that had been, head coach Howe said: “It’s an ever-challenging thing.

“You lose a player like Alex … And let’s put this right, Liverpool paid the money they did because he’s an outstanding footballer, an unbelievable talent. We were privileged to have him for the years that we had him. We loved working with him.

“He was an outstanding player. When you take that player away from your team, it’s going to change the dynamics, that’s for sure. Then you have to try to find a way of, not replacing him, but finding a player or players who can still make the team really effective.

“We’re still in that moment and we’ve been trying to do that all season. I think the guys who have come in have done a very good job.

“But we’re still finding ways to get the best out of the new players that we’ve signed without training, with very minimal time to do any work with them.

“There’s been video analysis, talking to them, which is great, but it’s not the same as getting the work on the training pitch.

“They’ve done really well and they’re trying to give the team the best that they have and we are trying to adapt.”

Isak is currently recovering from a fractured fibula and ankle ligament damage which has wrecked his first season on Merseyside, and Howe for one has moved on from the rancour which surrounded the transfer.

Instead, his team will have to find a way to deal with Hugo Ekitike — the man they wanted to replace Isak — this weekend.

Howe said: “[He is] a very, very good player. I think it is well known I have liked him for a number of years — I tried to sign him twice.

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“He has got a bit of everything. He has great movement, can score with both feet, he’s good in the air and dribbles with the ball really well. He is a big talent.”

Newcastle trail the champions, who they beat in last season’s Carabao Cup final, by three places and as many points, and head for Anfield boosted by Wednesday night’s 1-1 Champions League draw at holders Paris Saint-Germain.

They do so with skipper Bruno Guimarães facing a race against time to recover from an ankle injury, but with midfield partner Joelinton facing weeks, rather than months, on the sidelines after visiting a specialist in Barcelona this week for an injection to address his groin problem.