Richard Keys has slammed Nobby Solano’s comments on Alexander Isak and Newcastle United as “nonsense”.
With no club football on which to focus over the international break, Isak’s controversial move from Newcastle United to Liverpool remains a major story.
While Newcastle United have moved on from the Isak saga, it was such a big story over the summer that it continues to feature in the news cycle.
That will almost certainly change when Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade play for Newcastle as they begin life without the Swede.
For now, however, it remains a talking point.
Newcastle legend Solano has criticised Isak, suggesting he let the fans down and could have made himself a legend on Tyneside by breaking Alan Shearer’s goal record.
Keys, however, took a different view.
- Who is Alexander Isak? The striker who burned his Newcastle United reputation to force £125m Liverpool transfer
Richard Keys slams Nolberto Solano comments on Alexander Isak
The TV presenter has been fairly vocal about the Magpies of late. Keys told Newcastle to move their training ground down south after Joao Pedro revealed he’d rejected a move to St James’ Park as he wanted to live in London.
Reacting to Solano’s comments, Keys claimed that breaking Shearer’s record is simply not as important as winning trophies.
Though Newcastle beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final thanks to Isak’s goal back in March, Arne Slot’s side are much more likely to win the Premier League or Champions League sooner than Newcastle.
Taking to social media platform X, Keys wrote: “I’ll tell you what’s Shear madness – this view. Does Solano really believe chasing Shearer’s record is a better career goal than a bucket full of medals? Nonsense.”
Nobby Solano’s comments on Alexander Isak in full
Solano claimed that Isak would one day realise just how badly he upset the Newcastle fans with his actions before he left the club.
He also suggested that the forward would end up being just another player at Liverpool, whereas he could have gone down in the history books at Newcastle.
He told The Chronicle: “Alex could have had it all – even Alan Shearer’s crown as the club’s record scorer!
“It’s not a good look for Alex this and when things settle down he will realise why Newcastle’s faithful fans feel insulted by his actions, and that’s what refusing to play is, insulting to the paying Geordie public.
“He was welcomed with open arms to the city like I was and many others, so I can see why fans are disappointed. At 25 and with three years left on his deal I think he could have got close to that because Newcastle would have gave him a job for life.
“The no.9 shirt was vacant and would have been his to take at Newcastle. Alex has looked after himself really and not the club or the fans.
“He’s made his own decision and he has looked at the financial side of it and his future when he stops playing. But he has tarnished his football legacy at Newcastle, make no doubt about that.”
He added: “In the past 10 to 15 years signing a contract means very little because the moment more money comes into the mix, player power takes over, as we have seen in this window with Isak and many other players that have gone to Saudi Arabia for crazy money.
“I can see why a player would want to go to Liverpool because you have the chance to win the Premier League and trophies, but Newcastle won the Carabao Cup last year and are really starting to build things and they have the Champions League.”
- READ MORE: Dan Burn now shares how the Newcastle United squad reacted to Alexander Isak’s goodbye message
Before saying: “He goes to Liverpool and will be another player but could have been a God at Newcastle. It depends on his ambitions.
“Alan Shearer was the local lad living his dream and that’s why he turned down Man United to play for his boyhood team.
“People loved him for it, Alex obviously didn’t want it.
- READ MORE: Toni Kroos brutally mocks Liverpool’s Alexander Isak after pledging allegiance to Newcastle United
“Once the big money was talked about and his agent got involved, it felt like Alex was 100% ready to go.”
While Isak’s conduct before his exit left a lot to be desired, it is fairly natural that he’d be tempted by a move to Liverpool. Like it or not, he does stand a better chance of winning major trophies at Anfield.
That really isn’t the issue, however. Isak cannot be blamed for wanting to leave, but the manner in which he did made it such a toxic situation.
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