What really happened inside the Alexander Isak-PIF showdown summit at his Darras Hall mansion: CRAIG HOPE reveals what Isak told Newcastle chiefs, what it means for Liverpool move... and Toon close in on Nick Woltemade

At 4.45pm on Monday, as the TV trucks pulled into St James’ Park and the glare of the world was on the home of Newcastle United , there was a fixture of equal significance kicking off in the suburbs.

On the parquet paved driveway of a Darras Hall mansion, a chauffeur-driven Mercedes S-Class, with its tan-leather interior, was being reversed through gates that are ordinarily locked shut.

A £150,000 Range Rover Vogue and a Mercedes V-Class people carrier with blacked-out windows were also parked up, careful not to clip the Mercedes G-Wagon of the resident.

Around this forecourt of affluence stood affluent men. Tight suit trousers, even tighter white shirts, movie-star stubble and impenetrable shades - Reservoir Dogs does sleepy Northumberland.

Among them was Jamie Reuben, the Newcastle co-owner who, in the absence of a chief executive and sporting director, has rolled up the sleeves of his designer shirt this summer.

With him was Jacobo Solis, the club director and representative of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Newcastle’s majority owners. Solis is Spanish and seen as PIF’s football man. The security detail told of the delegation’s seniority, as well as the stakes at play.

Alexander Isak met with PIF and Newcastle chiefs at his home this week - this is what happened inside his Darras Hall mansion

Isak's Mercedes G-Wagon rolled out of his mansion at 5.30pm - and it was not good news for Newcastle fans

Inside, where both the open-plan kitchen and lounge open out onto a sizeable garden (big enough for the tenant to train in, perhaps), waited Alexander Isak and his representatives.

What followed were showdown talks, and what sources believe was a final play to get Isak to play and stay at Newcastle. It did not work. The flashy vehicles were on the drive, but Isak and his camp had their tanks at the ready.

He does not want to stay and will not play - either before or after the transfer deadline - was the artillery fired in return.

The meeting was done before 5.30pm and, soon after, Isak’s G-Wagon pulled out of the gates. The horse, however, had long since bolted.

By coincidence, Newcastle defender Dan Burn was driving down the hedge-flanked road at the same time. He was on his way to St James’, but Isak was not. Given the commitment and colossal performances of Burn of late, there could not have been a greater contrast.

At the same time, the convoy containing Reuben and Solis were already making the 20-minute journey to the stadium. Club chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan was also in town for the visit Liverpool.

At St James', they reflected on the outcome of the meeting. Was it positive? No.

So much so, sources have told Daily Mail Sport there remains an acceptance that a sale could be best for all parties, subject to Newcastle signing at least one, if not two strikers, as has been the case all summer.

Newcastle chairman Yasir Al Rumayyan was on Tyneside for the visit of Liverpool that night - and he was hit with bad news when he asked how the Isak summit had gone

Isak's position remains: he does not want to play for Newcastle again, and wants to join Liverpool

But here is the problem - Newcastle have failed to sign any strikers in two months of the transfer window. However, in a shock development in the past hour, sources in Germany have told Daily Mail Sport that Newcastle are closing in on a deal for Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, the 23-year-old Germany international who was linked with Bayern Munich earlier this summer. If so, that would be a huge coup.

Two offers for Jorgen Strand Larsen have been rejected this week - the last of which was for £55million - and Wolves do not want to sell. Newcastle were led to believe a deal was possible, prompting those bids for the Norwegian.

There has been encouragement from the player’s camp, but also from Jorge Mendes, the super-agent with influence over Wolves’ transfer activity.

But in dealing with Mendes, Newcastle were talking to the wrong person, sources say. Because inside Wolves, with chairman Jeff Shi in charge, there is an absolute resolve not to sell the 25-year-old this window.

Why? Because they do not have time to find a replacement but, more so, they see Strand Larsen as key to their chances of survival. A potential £40m profit on a player who cost them £23m to make his loan from Celta Vigo permanent this summer might be attractive to some, but against the cost of relegation, it is not so appealing.

As Wolves boss Vito Pereira said this week, however, every player has their price.

Then there is Yoane Wissa. The representative of the striker has flown into London and is waiting for the green light to travel with the player to Tyneside, such is the determination to get that deal done.

For it to happen, sources say, Brentford must sign a replacement. After talking to Bees owner Matthew Benham this week, Wissa still believes his wish will be granted. He wants the No 9 jersey at Newcastle and wants to play in the Champions League under Eddie Howe.

Newcastle are closing in on a deal for Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, the 23-year-old Germany international

Newcastle are still in for Wolves' Jorgen Strand Larsen - but have they been dealing with the wrong people at his club?

Tottenham also want the 28-year-old and could attempt to hijack Newcastle’s move, but the player has made it clear to all parties of his preference, which is why the Magpies have not walked away from the deal during the best part of a month of frustration.

Brentford are pursuing more than one striker and, it is claimed, England boss Thomas Tuchel was spoken to amid their interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Max Beier, given his connections with the Bundesliga club. Tuchel watched Brentford’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

But after waiting four weeks for Wissa to happen, Newcastle have reservations about it all coming together in four days. Meanwhile, talk in recruitment circles of a move for Milan’s Santiago Gimenez has been played down. Likewise with Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United.

Where does all of this leave Newcastle? For now, with no new strikers and the world-class one they do have refusing to cross the white line and his picket line.

Had Larsen and/or Wissa progressed to close to completion in the days since the 3-2 defeat by Liverpool, it is likely the Premier League champions would have returned with a second offer by now. That is still expected.

They have not come this far, and given such encouragement to Isak’s camp to influence the Swede’s actions this summer, to abandon him without another attempt at extraction. Sources still believe a deal north of £130m would be the ballpark at which an agreement could be reached.

What would Newcastle’s response be to a second offer, if acceptable by way of the financials? Without a new striker, it is unthinkable they would let Isak go - the club point back to last week’s statement of the ‘conditions of sale’ needing to be met, and so far they have not.

With one signing, they would have a decision to make. But with two, he would almost certainly be sold, as has been the stance since making offers on the likes of Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko - who respectively joined Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United instead.

Yoane Wissa is also the subject of interest from Tottenham, but the Brentford striker only wants to join Newcastle

Max Beier (centre) could be the key to unlocking Newcastle's deal for Wissa - and England manager Thomas Tuchel has played a big role in getting the German to Brentford

Without signing a new striker, it is unthinkable that Newcastle would let Isak go. And it will require a bid of at least £130m

And this has also been part of Newcastle’s negotiations with Isak, they are able to point to their attempts to sign his replacement. It is why the Reservoir Dogs were not all bark and bite on Monday. They have tried to be gentle with Isak, to encourage him to return to a squad and head coach who would welcome him with open arms and not closed fists.

There has been talk of a new contract, but it is said that Isak does not want to consider any numbers on offer, such is his resolution to leave the club. As of Monday, Isak and Howe had not spoken for over a week, since before the player’s incendiary statement in which he spoke of promises and relationships being broken.

It should be said, he has not spoken to the majority of his team-mates, either. But did Isak mean current staff, or former sporting director Paul Mitchell, whose refusal to give him a new contract last summer led to this situation?

Either way, Isak maintains he wants to go and will not play if the club keep him against his will. Those on the football side hope, and believe, that stance would soften come September 2, and it is a gamble they may have to take. As was the case when Daily Mail Sport broke the story in July of Isak informing the club he wanted to leave, all options are at play.

Do Wolves stand firm on Larsen? Is Brentford boss Keith Andrews right when he says Wissa will still be his player post-window? Do Newcastle resist Liverpool? And does Isak maintain his own position?

With four days to go, those with poker faces are going to be forced to reveal their hand. For Newcastle, given the increasing desperation of their situation, it is time for the Reservoir Dogs to show their teeth.