As unlikely as it may seem, the relationships at the heart of the transfer saga that has dominated the summer can be traced all the way back to Portsmouth in the early 2000s, when Alexander Isak was just a toddler.

Eddie Howe has experienced just one public dispute with a Newcastle United player until this summer. That specific incident occurred when winger Ryan Fraser disappeared from view following a spell as an unused substitute during the away fixture against AFC Bournemouth in March 2023.