Newcastle star insists 'I don't care' after being grilled on Alexander Isak transfer

Fabian Schar insists he is paying no attention to the noise around Alexander Isak despite a toothless Newcastle side missing creativity and a clinical centre-forward in their goalless draw with Leeds. The defender admitted his attacking team-mates fell short at Elland Road but insists he's not listening to any of the speculation around wantaway striker Isak, who is desperate to join Liverpool before the 7pm transfer deadline tonight.

New No.9 Nick Woltemade couldn't play against Leeds because his £69million club-record transfer from Stuttgart wasn't completed in time. However, after failing to seriously trouble newly-promoted Leeds, Schar admitted his frustrations at the Toon's winless start to the campaign.

The Swiss centre-half declared: "We need to try and create more chances. We didn't create enough to score goals and it's something we have to work on.

"Now it's time to improve, create more up front and score more goals but still be solid like we have been."

Asked if the Isak situation is having an impact on the squad after X-rated chants about the Swede from the away end at Leeds, Schar, 33, added: "Listen, what shall I do? I can only play football.

"I don't know what's going on behind closed doors so the only thing we focus on is playing football, working hard and doing our best. The other things are not in my hands and I don't really care about deadline day - I'm focused on what I can do. I'm not doing transfers, I'm just playing football so I don't really care."

Following a goalless stalemate at Aston Villa and a 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool last Monday, the 0-0 at Leeds was another frustrating showing. But 6ft 6in Woltemade is set to make his debut after the international break when Wolves make the trip to St James' Park on September 13.

Schar continued: "It's great to have him here and I'm sure he's going to add a lot to the team with his qualities. I'm sure he's very motivated to get started and I know a bit about him.

"Obviously I played in the Bundesliga as well, so sometimes I still watch games and you see he scored a lot of goals. Even though he's very tall, I think he's very good on the ball as well. He has lot of attributes which can add to the team and he can fit in well in the Premier League, one hundred per cent.

"Obviously it's a different league and you need to adapt but he's going to be a great addition. We missed goals here and at Villa but it's not just down to the striker - it's down to the whole team to create more chances."

Whilst the Isak saga rumbles on, Newcastle maintain their interest in Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen while Yoane Wissa is eager to engineer a move from Brentford to the north east.