Newcastle fans told ‘it’s business’ as Alexander Isak ‘got to go’ Liverpool prediction made

Newcastle United fans have been told “it’s very much business” after Alexander Isak sat out their opening match of the new Premier League season.

The Swede has downed tools in an effort to force through a move to Liverpool but so far, the north east club have stood firm with Arne Slot’s side yet to meet their valuation.

That impasse has put Isak in an awkward spot with the striker, who scored 23 Premier League goals last season, told to train separately and excluded from a pre-season team bonding barbecue.

Isak has also soured his relationship with the Newcastle fans who have criticised his actions but former Liverpool winger Joe Cole said “it’s very much business” for players when it comes to getting a move.

“Newcastle fans will be sitting there thinking ‘he’s taking the liberty not wanting to play’,” Cole said on TNT Sports in the build-up to Newcastle’s game away at Aston Villa. “When you put yourself in the young man’s shoes I think he’s 25 now, if Liverpool, the champions, are coming for him, he might fancy it.

“I’d like to think myself in that situation, I think I wouldn’t behave like he’s behaved. But it’s important to know that for fans at home, when you’re a player, it’s very much business.

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“So his agent will be advising him ‘Liverpool want you, Newcastle don’t want to sell you. You do A, B, C, D and E and you can get out of the club.'”

Cole also made the point that if it was the other way round, fans would not have a problem with their club forcing a player out.

“If Isak would have come in three, four years ago, whenever it was and he didn’t play well, they’d be trying to get him out the door. So it goes both ways.

“We’ve seen clubs ostracise players who are in long-term contracts and trying to make their life difficult to get them out the door.

“So clubs behave in that way, and when a player behaves in that way, he has to take the burden on.”

Cole was joined by another former Liverpool player in Peter Crouch who took a much more dim view of Isak’s actions, suggesting it is not the way to try and secure a move.

“I don’t think the way he’s handled it has been correct in any way,” Crouch said.

“I remember when I was at Southampton, we’d been relegated, and they tried to keep me and I had to drive down to the chairman’s house as he was not answering my calls.

“Obviously I wanted to move to Liverpool. That was clear. I made my feelings clear on the situation, and in the end, that’s what happened.

“But downing tools and saying you’re not playing, staying away from the training ground is not the way to go about things. I just think it’s a lack of professionalism.”

Crouch was then asked how he thinks the situation will be resolved and he gave a “got to go” verdict.

“I think he’s got to go hasn’t he? You don’t want a player like that, worth that much money, unwilling to play.

“If he’s reintegrated, I think the players will take him back in. The fans might be a different story.”

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