Newcastle United may need to offer Alexander Isak an improved contract to fend off summer interest from rival clubs.

The 21-goal striker is tied down until 2028 on his current deal but reports suggest that the Sweden international's deal contains a clause that sees his wages drop down by 20 per cent if the Magpies don't make the Champions League. Those reports remain unconfirmed by anybody at Newcastle but Eddie Howe could face questions on Isak's future after tonight's game given he is one of his star players.

Newcastle showed they were prepared to hold on to star names by offering Joelinton a lucrative deal two weeks ago after months of talks. Joelinton had one year left of his existing deal and was attracting interest from La Liga and the Bundesliga, but Newcastle responded by handing him an improved deal until 2028.

Both Howe and Isak have played down suggestions he could move this summer but given his sparkling form it is no surprise that the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona have been linked with the 24-year-old. Isak said last month: "I don’t want to entertain these type of questions and rumours. It’s not my position.

"I love playing, we have important games, there’s no focus there (on my future), I just want to do good for the team."

Howe also underlined his desire to retain the former Real Sociedad and Borussia Dortmund player. He said at the start of April: "You have to try to keep your best players. Whether you’re able to do that continually with the rules that are in place at the moment, that’s always unsure.

"I’m not in control of that, but from my perspective, to be the team that we want to be, we have to keep our best players and keep improving."