Liverpool: Isak, Howe bust-up forced Newcastle U-turn amid ‘April behaviour change’ accusation
According to reports, Alexander Isak and Eddie Howe had a major bust-up towards the end of last year, while there was another turning point in April.
On deadline day, Isak finally got his wish as he secured a record £125m move from Newcastle United to Premier League rivals Liverpool.
This took Liverpool’s spending beyond £400m in the summer window and it ended a prolonged and bitter transfer saga.
Isak acknowledged the length of the saga in his first interview as a Liverpool player and revealed what he “wants” following his mega-money move to Anfield.
“I feel amazing,” Isak insisted.
“It’s been a long journey to get here. But I’m super-happy to be a part of this team, this club and everything it stands for. It’s something I’m proud of and I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’m just happy it’s done and that I can get back to work. I’m looking forward to seeing my teammates and the fans, and getting back out there.”
READ: Liverpool top transfer winners ahead of Arsenal, Chelsea and, in the end, just about Spurs
Isak added: “I think I have a lot to give, I think I have a lot to improve. I’m a striker but I always want to give as much as possible to the team, mainly goals but much more than that as well.
“I want to win everything. Yeah, [as simple as that].”
Now the summer window has closed, it is time for the ‘inside story’ of the biggest deals to surface and boasting Newcastle United correspondent Luke Edwards has provided a timeline of events from May 2024 to September 2025 for The Telegraph.
It is claimed that in September, Howe became ‘fed up’ with Isak’s ‘sulking’ amid his ‘poor’ start to the 2024/25 campaign, with his ‘lacklustre performance at Fulham that brought things to a head’.
Howe is said to have confronted Isak and there were ‘strong words’. The report claims:
‘There were strong words, Isak was told that he was a Newcastle player and would remain one, that if he wanted to be an elite player, he had to play and behave like one. It was a triumph for Howe’s man-management skills.
‘It is with this in mind that Newcastle drew up their plan for this summer, which was always designed to try to keep Isak. If Howe could reintegrate the player once, he could surely do so again.’
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Yet, as we know now, Howe’s supposed ‘triumph’ was short-lived as Isak’s attitude declined heading into this summer’s transfer window.
The report later claims that Isak’s attitude ‘changed’ after helping Newcastle win the Carabao Cup as ‘he became quiet and withdrawn’, while ‘he was not focused or working hard in training’.
There is also a claim on Isak’s ‘private’ feelings after winning the Carabao Cup and Newcastle’s push for the Champions League.
The report added:
‘Having scored the winning goal against Liverpool at Wembley and enjoyed the victory parade, there are those that think Isak, privately, felt he had achieved all he wanted as a Newcastle player.
‘Indeed, some insiders suggested, from April onwards, Isak was behaving and playing like someone who did not want the team to qualify for the Champions League, as he knew it would make it harder for him to explain to Howe and the supporters why he wanted to go.’
