STOCKHOLM: Sweden have called up Alexander Isak for next month’s World Cup qualifiers despite the strikers standoff with his Premier League club Newcastle United.

Isak missed Newcastle’s pre-season tour and was left to train alone after he tried to force a transfer.

“First and foremost, it is not an ideal situation. Ideally, the player should have been training and playing with the club team,” Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson said on Wednesday.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has also been called up, while Dejan Kulusevski and captain Victor Lindelof are unavailable.

Sweden play away games against Slovenia on Sept 5 and Kosovo three days later.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2025