The Newcastle star is being urged to “step forward” by the boss in order to become a more effective leader on the field.

That’s a lot for his age, and it’s something that Janne Andersson is trying to take advantage of, as the Magpies striker continues to grow as both a player and a footballer.

The Sweden manager was asked about the Newcastle star, who has started the season under Eddie Howe in excellent form, scoring twice in as many appearances, during a press conference prior to the next international matches, as reported by Fotbollskanalen.

Newcastle United news: 'Excellent' Isak 'delivered what we wanted' - Howe - BBC Sport

That’s because there are a few new faces in the national team squad, and he is turning to the striker to lead them.

He said: “For me, Alex is a player that I want to see take greater responsibility on the pitch. To step forward. I will talk to him about that. (…) I’m not going to put a lot of pressure on him, but it’s clear that now that he has 40 international matches, he is a player that we should be able to prop up a little.”This can only be good news for Newcastle, where Isak may not be seen as a leader just yet, having only arrived a year ago from Real Sociedad.

However, getting experience in such a role for his national team could be beneficial for Eddie Howe in the long run, as the 23-year-old has a contract at St James’ Park until 2028, and is clearly an important part of the squad for the very long foreseeable future.

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