Alan Pardew has provided his worrying take on Newcastle United’s transfer business, including Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool.
After three wild months full of thrills, agony and disappointment in one individual, the transfer window is now coming to an end.
Newcastle United have been incredibly busy in the transfer market over the last three months, making five senior additions to Eddie Howe’s squad. There is set to be a sixth signing before the end of the window, with a deal in the region of £55m agreed for Yoane Wissa.
The 28-year-old is on Tyneside for his medical and will sign a four-year deal with Newcastle. Wissa will play either alongside or as backup to record signing Nick Woltemade, whose signing was confirmed on Saturday.
Newcastle have spent over £250m, including Wissa, but Alan Pardew thinks the Magpies have got it all wrong this summer.
Alan Pardew admits he is worried about Newcastle United’s latest transfers
Wissa joins Newcastle having been at Brentford for four years, scoring 45 Premier League goals. The forward knows what it takes to be a success in the Premier League, so the deal makes a lot of sense.
As for Woltemade, he is coming off the back of a bright season with VfB Stuttgart, scoring 12 Bundesliga goals and winning the DFB Pokal.
However, the pair must do a lot to convince Pardew they were the right players to replace both Isak and Callum Wilson.
“I just feel so sorry for Newcastle United fans,” he said on Sky Sports News.
“Because the two players they’ve brought in are not on the level. They’re just not. In terms of what they’ve lost it’s a big blow.”
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Alan Pardew questions why Alexander Isak deal took so long
While Isak has tarnished his reputation at Newcastle, the club have managed to bag £130m for him and sign two new quality strikers for a busy 2025/26 season.
Howe recently admitted he had taken himself out of the Isak situation, leaving others to deal with the drama while he focused on improving the squad and getting them ready for the new season.
The situation had become untenable for Isak at Newcastle, so a clean break was clearly best for all parties.
Still, Pardew suggests there was more than meets the eye with the deals for Isak and Wissa.
“I’m kind of astonished a little bit,” he added.
“Because Liverpool’s approach to this transfer window has been tough on other clubs. They’re still obviously trying to get Guehi over the line. This transfer, I was guessing, might have been going away.
“But I think in the background all along, it has been done. In Isak’s mind and in his team’s mind I think this deal was done.
“In Eddie Howe’s mind I think this deal was done. Wissa was getting information that this deal was gonna happen, hence the standoff.
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