Newcastle United fans have been told \u201cit\u2019s very much business\u201d after Alexander Isak sat out their opening match of the new Premier League season.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s side yet to meet their valuation.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Isak has also soured his relationship with the Newcastle<\/strong><\/a> fans who have criticised his actions but former Liverpool<\/strong><\/a> winger Joe Cole said \u201cit\u2019s very much business\u201d for players when it comes to getting a move.<\/p>\n \u201cNewcastle fans will be sitting there thinking \u2018he\u2019s taking the liberty not wanting to play\u2019,\u201d Cole said on TNT Sports in the build-up to Newcastle\u2019s game away at Aston Villa. \u201cWhen you put yourself in the young man\u2019s shoes I think he\u2019s 25 now, if Liverpool, the champions, are coming for him, he might fancy it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to think myself in that situation, I think I wouldn\u2019t behave like he\u2019s behaved. But it\u2019s important to know that for fans at home, when you\u2019re a player, it\u2019s very much business.<\/p>\n MORE ON ALEXANDER ISAK ON F365<\/strong> \u201cSo his agent will be advising him \u2018Liverpool want you, Newcastle don\u2019t want to sell you. You do A, B, C, D and E and you can get out of the club.’\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Isak would have come in three, four years ago, whenever it was and he didn\u2019t play well, they\u2019d be trying to get him out the door. So it goes both ways.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen clubs ostracise players who are in long-term contracts and trying to make their life difficult to get them out the door.<\/p>\n \u201cSo clubs behave in that way, and when a player behaves in that way, he has to take the burden on.\u201d<\/p>\n Cole was joined by another former Liverpool player in Peter Crouch who took a much more dim view of Isak\u2019s actions, suggesting it is not the way to try and secure a move.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think the way he\u2019s handled it has been correct in any way,\u201d Crouch said.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember when I was at Southampton, we\u2019d been relegated, and they tried to keep me and I had to drive down to the chairman\u2019s house as he was not answering my calls.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously I wanted to move to Liverpool. That was clear. I made my feelings clear on the situation, and in the end, that\u2019s what happened.<\/p>\n \u201cBut downing tools and saying you\u2019re not playing, staying away from the training ground is not the way to go about things. I just think it\u2019s a lack of professionalism.\u201d<\/p>\n Crouch was then asked how he thinks the situation will be resolved and he gave a \u201cgot to go\u201d verdict.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019s got to go hasn\u2019t he? You don\u2019t want a player like that, worth that much money, unwilling to play.<\/p>\n \u201cIf he\u2019s reintegrated, I think the players will take him back in. The fans might be a different story.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udc49\u00a0Carragher makes Isak transfer prediction amid fears \u00a369m Liverpool star will become an \u2018understudy\u2019<\/strong><\/a>
\ud83d\udc49\u00a0Liverpool accused of \u2018entitled arrogance\u2019 over Alexander Isak pursuit<\/strong><\/a>
\ud83d\udc49\u00a0Liverpool are \u2018all in\u2019 on Isak as journalist explains what Newcastle \u2018encouragement\u2019 looks like<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n