Alexander Isak has been linked with a move away from Newcastle all summer amid links to Liverpool and now the Swedish striker has told the club he wants to consider his options
Newcastle stars Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes have broken their silence on transfer speculation surrounding Alexander Isak, admitting the striker is going through "rough things" after telling the club he wants to leave this summer.
Isak is one of the most coveted players in the transfer window after a sensational season for the Magpies last season as he netted 27 goals and helped the team win the Carabao Cup.
He has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, who would likely have to smash the British transfer record once again after already doing so to bring Florian Wirtz to Anfield for £116.5million last month.
Isak was due to travel with Newcastle to Singapore for their pre-season tour but has been left at home as he nurses a thigh injury. Boss Eddie Howe previously excluded him from a friendly defeat to Celtic last week, concerned that speculation might have affected his mindset.
Speaking to the Daily Mail in Singapore, Burn was coy on Isak's situation and said there was little the squad could do about it - instead turning his attentions to new signing Anthony Elanga.
He said : "Listen, everyone's entitled to their own opinion. But I think we can just control what we can control. That's a question for Alex to answer. He's obviously a big player for us, but we do have a lot of quality in the squad as well.
"Bringing Anthony (Elanga) in as well, which I think was a great signing. Alex hasn’t trained with a thigh issue that's been ongoing since he’s been back that first few days."
Meanwhile, club captain Guimaraes admitted the player was going through "some rough things" but insisted he hoped the player would return for the club ahead of the new Premier League season.
"I’m really close to him (Isak). He’s a good guy. He’s been through some rough things at this moment. My focus is with the lads. Isak is something I cannot control. The club has control of it. I hope he’s going to be fit when we come back to Newcastle to prepare for the new season.
"They told us he was there in Newcastle because of his injury. Of course he’s a top player for us and he’s going to be a miss on this trip. We need him ready as soon as possible."
Liverpool would likely have to offer as much as £150m if they wanted to sign Isak and it would cap off a remarkable summer of spending for the Reds, having already spent £265m on Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike.
Ekitike has just arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for around £79m and was set to be the leading man up front for the Reds and adding Isak would give the Reds some serious firepower as they look to retain their Premier League title.
But Newcastle boss Howe has insisted he expects Isak to stay at St James' Park for the new season, saying he was "confident" he would not leave.
"I'm confident he will be a Newcastle player come the end of the window," he said. "We have a few of those players who are irreplaceable. Your top players are so hard to find, so hard to recruit and so hard to develop.
"So when you have them, you need to treasure them. Of course we're desperate to keep him as part of our team."
netbciku
0
Isak, you are welcome to liverpool
Huzailosz
0
now I think 🤔 it's our chance again
Then Isak would really leave Newcastle to join Manchester United. Someone would need to check his mental!!!!
mapbcelt
0
It’s funny how these superstars never offer to take less money when they don’t perform well, but as soon as they have a great season they demand to renegotiate. Honour your contract to the end. You already make millions for playing a child’s sport. Get over yourselves!
would you tell your boss to cut your salary after you make a mistake? unlikely. i understand you're frustrated he wants to move up, because that highlights how Newcastle are not at the top, and that will hurt a fan. but it's just football. Liverpool fans were hurt by trent leaving, but we get over it and carry on. it's only a game
kmuguna
2
This summer we have really been entertained; Gyokeres and arsenal, Mbeumo and man-u and now Isak and Liverpool song is the hit[Comeon]
Wamiklmsty
2
It’s funny how these superstars never offer to take less money when they don’t perform well, but as soon as they have a great season they demand to renegotiate. Honour your contract to the end. You already make millions for playing a child’s sport. Get over yourselves!
Sioaclouz
2
now I think 🤔 it's our chance again
sudalmntuz
1
this is unbelievable, but I will love it i
ketabdmn
2
go to Anfield ynwa 💪
raeaostyz
1
I hope slot handles the all star situation like a magician 🏆
There is a 'no arsehole' culture at Liverpool, Edwards, Bill Spearman and Hughes look at all these strange metrics. How often do players high five, how often do they pick other players off the floor, how often do they get into confrontations etc. They profile the personality of the player and see whether the character fits. They will try their best to balance ability and personality to create a harmony in the dressing room. I don't think it will be too hard for Slot to manage these personalities as they have been chosen because they also have good character traits. The most boisterous amongst the current crop is probably Nunez who can huff and puff but nothing too dramatic. Salah can be prickly sometimes but not to create intense disruption and probably some of his actions are justified after all these years of service. Slot will be fine, I don't know enough about Ekitike so he may be a wild party animal but I doubt it.
lbcrna
3
Isak earns £120,000 on a weekly basis while Haalnad earns £525,000, JackGlealish £300,000 weekly, mahammed Salah £400,000 weekly, Casemiro £350,000, Sterling £325,000, Bruno Fernandes £300,000 Omar Marmoush £295,000 Kai Havertz £280,000
cedilnpsuy
2
nice
Olohuntoyin20
5
I hope slot handles the all star situation like a magician 🏆