This has been a dreadful summer transfer window for Newcastle United and the fact Alexander Isak is seemingly doing all he can to leave makes it all the worse.
Newcastle have missed out on several transfer targets this summer and their best player in Isak has informed the club he would like to explore a move away from St James’ Park as Liverpool look to sign him.
It has been a painful few weeks for supporters and few could have imagined Newcastle enduring such misery, with the club having just enjoyed their best season in living memory.
Newcastle are Carabao Cup winners and a Champions League club again, yet continue to be bullied in the transfer market.
The fact that Isak appears to have decided exactly when he’s sold and to what club is also making the top brass at Newcastle look rather weak.
However, it seems PIF are finally responding.
- Who is Alexander Isak? The striker who burned his Newcastle United reputation to force £125m Liverpool transfer
Alexander Isak could stay at Newcastle United
Newcastle have targeted Benjamin Sesko as Isak’s replacement, although actually signing the RB Leipzig forward is an issue.
Little about what the club have done this summer would suggest they are capable of winning a transfer battle and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Sesko is expected to join Manchester United.
The Liverpool fans desperate to get Isak need to remember one thing. Newcastle United cannot be relied upon to do anything significant in the transfer market right now.
- READ MORE: What Alexander Isak said about PIF immediately after he signed Newcastle United contract in 2022
According to Craig Hope of The Daily Mail, Isak “will probably” be told he’s not going anywhere unless the club can sign a big-ticket replacement.
If Sesko goes elsewhere, Isak could end up staying.
“If they don’t, if they can’t bring in the players they want and they need, then Alexander Isak will probably – and should definitely – be told: ‘You’re going nowhere pal, you can honour that contract and you can come back in and train’”, said Hope.
Alexander Isak could be forced into embarrassing U-turn
There are benefits to selling the Sweden international. He quite clearly doesn’t want to be there, and Newcastle would surely receive a British record sum for his services.
There are legitimate reasons as to why he wants to leave, too. Isak wanted the Newcastle United owners to show more ambition, rather than simply talk about it. Wanting to leave is not the problem.
As good as he is, Alexander Isak is not bigger than Newcastle United.
However, if Newcastle cannot replace him, then they shouldn’t be selling. It’s not up to Isak to decide, nor is it up to Liverpool.
Perhaps he will go and leave behind a complicated legacy. Newcastle will go on, but it would be fantastic to see the club dig their heels in.
If Isak ends up staying at Newcastle, it would be a rather embarrassing end to a saga that has seen him invoke the ire of supporters.
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