{"id":161827,"date":"2025-08-20T19:10:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T19:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/161827\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T19:10:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T19:10:14","slug":"alexander-isak-newcastle-and-liverpool-what-happens-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/161827\/","title":{"rendered":"Alexander Isak, Newcastle and Liverpool: What happens next?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Alexander Isak saga took another twist on Tuesday, with the Newcastle United striker issuing an incendiary statement<\/a> outlining his grievances at being denied a transfer by the club.<\/p>\n

Newcastle then responded in kind, insisting they had never promised he could leave and that they could not foresee circumstances in which he could depart this summer.<\/p>\n

So, with Newcastle determined not to sell and Liverpool still keen to buy, what happens now?<\/p>\n

How did we get here, and what happened on Tuesday to escalate matters?<\/p>\n

The abridged version \u2014 a more exhaustive explanation can be found here<\/a> \u2014 is that Isak feels Newcastle know he has long wished to leave and that he could do so this summer, something the club have always refuted.<\/p>\n

The striker\u2019s camp claim that in the spring of 2024, it had been intimated by Amanda Staveley, Newcastle\u2019s former co-owner, that talks over an improved contract would take place this summer. But financial pressures and the arrival of Paul Mitchell as sporting director meant giving more money to someone who was already one of the club\u2019s highest earners and had four years remaining on his existing deal was not a priority.<\/p>\n

While those inside Newcastle maintain that Isak, while unsettled, had suggested he was receptive to contract talks this summer, those close to the striker insist he repeatedly made clear his intention to leave after the 2024-25 campaign ended. Isak did not feature for Newcastle in any of their pre-season friendlies, has chosen not to train with the senior group and was absent for the opening-weekend goalless draw at Aston Villa on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Alexander Isak thought he had been made promises by Amanda Staveley that he would receive a new contract (Stu Forster\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Liverpool last month indicated a willingness to pay around \u00a3120million ($162m) for Isak, before bidding \u00a3110m three weeks ago \u2014 an offer which was instantly dismissed. They are yet to return with another proposal but they remain interested, and Isak is desperate to move to Anfield.<\/p>\n

He decided to take his frustrations public for the first time on Tuesday. Having been named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for 2024-25 despite not attending (Newcastle and Liverpool officials were at last night\u2019s awards dinner in Manchester), the Sweden international wrote on Instagram that Newcastle had broken \u201cpromises\u201d to him and that their \u201crelationship can\u2019t continue\u201d.<\/p>\n

A blindsided Newcastle responded with an equally extraordinary statement three and a half hours later, saying \u201cno commitment has ever been made by a club official\u201d that Isak could leave this summer. They conceded for the first time that \u201cplayers have their own wishes\u201d, but that they must protect the \u201cbest interests of Newcastle United\u201d. Their statement added that \u201cconditions of a sale this summer have not transpired\u201d and \u201cwe do not foresee those conditions being met\u201d, before saying a rapprochement with \u201cthe Newcastle family\u201d was still possible.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Newcastle\u2019s majority owner, was involved in the wording of the club\u2019s statement and the swiftness with which it was issued shows how strongly people there feel. PIF rarely, if ever, reacts so quickly when releasing such important statements.<\/p>\n

What can Newcastle do now?<\/p>\n

Newcastle have been steadfast that Isak is not for sale, and their stance has only been hardened by his outburst on Tuesday. Senior club figures were angered, and insisted that they will not be \u201cbullied\u201d into selling, particularly given the message it may send to other star players at the club, such as Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento.<\/p>\n

There is also the issue that PIF will not want to lose face. Those with connections to PIF believe this will only strengthen their resolve to keep Isak, even if he is unhappy.<\/p>\n

Head coach Eddie Howe has always trodden a delicate line regarding Isak. He has tried to keep the player away from the squad so that he is not a distraction, but has not overtly criticised him, insisting he will be able to rejoin his squad once the window closes<\/a> on September 1. Seemingly, that remains Howe\u2019s viewpoint, even if there is an acceptance that Isak\u2019s actions to date cannot go unpunished.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Eddie Howe has tried not to burn his bridges with Isak (Stu Forster\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Newcastle are yet to confirm whether Isak has been disciplined, but having missed the Villa match on Saturday, the expectation was that he would be.<\/p>\n

As outlined in the Premier League\u2019s handbook, the club can fine Isak up to two weeks of his basic wage (around \u00a3150,000 a week) for a first disciplinary offence and \u201cup to four weeks for subsequent offences\u201d inside a 12-month period. Anything beyond that would need to be approved by the Professional Footballers\u2019 Association (PFA, effectively the players\u2019 trade union in the English game), which has not yet been asked to intervene by either party.<\/p>\n

The PFA did not comment when approached by The Athletic.<\/p>\n

In their statement, Newcastle said they did not expect \u201cconditions\u201d for letting Isak leave to be met \u2014 what do they mean?<\/p>\n

Newcastle have always intended to keep Isak, but that does not mean they have not considered the possibility of him departing. Once Isak absented himself from first-team duties, it would have been negligent not to have at least looked into alternative options, and the club have scouted multiple top-level centre-forwards, just as they do for every position.<\/p>\n

Newcastle\u2019s stance is that the board may have sanctioned Isak\u2019s departure had they signed two strikers, one of whom they deemed to be of Champions League standard, this summer and received an offer close to their valuation of around \u00a3150m.<\/p>\n

Following Callum Wilson\u2019s departure after his contract expired at the end of last season, Newcastle needed a centre-forward regardless of the Isak situation. Joao Pedro of Brighton was their top target, but he joined Chelsea, while an ambitious move for Hugo Ekitike was thwarted by Liverpool. Ironically, Ekitike\u2019s transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt to Merseyside made a departure for Isak less likely because, although he was targeted to play alongside the Sweden international, he was also seen as a potential long-term replacement.<\/p>\n

Once Ekitike joined Liverpool, Isak became more militant, which did not appear coincidental. Newcastle then aggressively pursued a deal for Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig, despite their feeling all along that the Slovenian preferred Manchester United, who he has now moved to. Sesko is the only striker Newcastle have bid for who was genuinely considered a direct Isak replacement.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hugo Ekitike\u2019s move to Liverpool complicated Isak\u2019s situation (Michael Steele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Subsequently, Porto\u2019s Samu Aghehowa, Nicolas Jackson of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain\u2019s Goncalo Ramos have been discussed internally, but none look likely to be pursued as things stand.<\/p>\n

Brentford\u2019s Yoane Wissa, meanwhile, was always deemed to be a Wilson successor, rather than an Isak one, but that deal has not progressed decisively over the past three weeks, with Newcastle having had a bid worth up to \u00a340million rejected today<\/a> (Wednesday). In the interim, Wolverhampton Wanderers\u2019 Jorgen Strand Larsen has emerged as a potential alternative.<\/p>\n

A Wissa or Strand Larsen signing would not meet the \u201cconditions\u201d Newcastle mention. They would still require an elite striker, or one with that potential, to join besides, plus a massively increased offer from Liverpool. The club do not feel both will happen in the window\u2019s remaining 13 days.<\/p>\n

What do his Newcastle team-mates think of his behaviour?<\/p>\n

The response has not been homogeneous, although Gordon and Dan Burn pinpointing the \u201cteam spirit\u201d and \u201ctogetherness\u201d during post-match interviews after the Villa game seemed to be part of a coordinated message.<\/p>\n

Newcastle fans were quick to pounce on Bruno Guimaraes, the captain, posting a captionless photo of himself in a black-and-white club shirt on social media a few minutes after Isak\u2019s statement dropped, although his intentions are unclear.<\/p>\n

Some of his fellow players are said to feel disappointed by Isak\u2019s actions, but others are more sympathetic, echoing similar sentiments to Howe, who, earlier in the summer, said he understood that players\u2019 careers are short and that they have their own ambitions. Clubs can be ruthless when it comes to discarding players and there is a recognition of that, although others in the squad have flirted with leaving and have not behaved in this manner.<\/p>\n

Isak \u2014 who is especially close to Sven Botman and Joe Willock \u2014 did thank his colleagues and \u201ceveryone at Newcastle\u201d in Tuesday\u2019s statement. He is regularly described as a \u201ccomplex\u201d character by those who know him, but he has a dry sense of humour and led the celebrations following Newcastle\u2019s Carabao Cup final victory back in March.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Isak leads the Carabao Cup party (Oli Scarff\/AFP via Getty Images)What is Isak doing at the moment?<\/p>\n

He is on Tyneside and, despite reports to the contrary, has not moved out of the area. The long-term lease on his house in Northumberland, north of the city, has not been renewed but this is because of multiple break-ins at that property, rather than being directly connected to his desire for a transfer.<\/p>\n

Last month, Isak temporarily trained at his previous club, Spain\u2019s Real Sociedad, although Howe only discovered this fact through the media.<\/p>\n

Isak has now been back in the north-east of England for almost three weeks, attending individual sessions at Newcastle\u2019s Benton facility. But he was not invited to a squad-and-family barbecue earlier this month, and his training programmes are orchestrated so they do not overlap with those of the first-team squad.<\/p>\n

In his statement, Isak talks about \u201cpromises\u201d being made to him. What is he referring to?<\/p>\n

Some supposition is required here, given that Isak did not get into specifics and Newcastle subsequently insisted no \u201ccommitment has ever been made by a club official\u201d that he can leave the club this summer.<\/p>\n

However, it is believed Isak is referring to the suggestion in 2024 that talks over a new-and-improved contract may have been forthcoming. The perception of those close to Isak is that an assurance was made, only to be reneged upon when the hierarchy at Newcastle changed and a vow was made internally to ensure the club never again got into a mess with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).<\/p>\n

Some viewed Isak\u2019s comments on Tuesday as an attack on Howe, given he is the only person to have spoken on the record this summer, and the striker referred to his own silence with the \u201callowing people to push their own version of events\u201d comment. Equally, it may be a reference to media coverage in general, which has been sourced by other figures with connections to Newcastle.<\/p>\n

What can he do now?<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can\u2019t just walk away, he\u2019s under contract,\u201d says Jibreel Tramboo, a sports law barrister at London legal firm 33 Bedford Row. \u201cIf he says he won\u2019t play, then he\u2019s technically in breach of contract, and that\u2019s enforceable if Newcastle wanted to.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reality is that Newcastle hold the cards. They can block him from leaving. There are no grounds for termination of contract.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is a framework within which players are able to rip up their deal, but it would require the club involved to not fulfil their contractual obligations. That scenario typically arises when they fail to pay players on time.<\/p>\n

Isak is yet to submit an official transfer request, although there is little to suggest doing so would have much effect, given he has already made clear his intentions of not playing for Newcastle again. There would, though, be potentially significant financial ramifications for the Swede should he take that step.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a player hands in a transfer request, then it can affect some of their loyalty bonuses in the contract and some of those can become void,\u201d adds Tramboo. \u201cI don\u2019t think handing in a transfer request does much for a player in terms of negotiation. It has no real legal power. In practice, it\u2019s a political tool, which is why you rarely see them anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, the idea that Newcastle have not fulfilled some gentlemen\u2019s agreement is legally flimsy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s arguing he\u2019s been given assurances by the club that he can move on, but that\u2019s not going to trump the provisions of the contract,\u201d says Jamie Singer, partner at Onside Law. \u201cBut because his registration is so valuable, he does have that player power. He will know his value can come down if he\u2019s an unhappy player, not playing to the best of his ability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isak\u2019s camp is insistent that he will still refuse to play. With the league phase of the Champions League beginning next month and a World Cup next summer, that seems remarkable, but even if he does eventually relent, Newcastle\u2019s pathway to reconciliation may be a slow one.<\/p>\n

The first international break of the season begins the same day as the summer transfer window closes, so theoretically mediation could occur then, though Isak may be called up to face Slovenia and Kosovo in Sweden\u2019s next two World Cup qualifiers, despite his lack of club action.<\/p>\n

Are there any legal implications for Isak?<\/p>\n

The grey area is whether Newcastle consider him to be in breach of his contract.<\/p>\n

The Premier League\u2019s standard contract stipulates that Isak must attend matches and training sessions when instructed to by a club official and \u201cplay to the best of his skill and ability at all times\u201d.<\/p>\n

But Isak was seemingly given permission not to join the club\u2019s pre-season tour to Singapore and South Korea and has since reported to training, albeit in a pattern that avoids him being part of the first-team\u2019s schedule, so proving he is in breach may not be straightforward.<\/p>\n

Isak\u2019s statement on social media this week is another move that risks him breaching his contract.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are provisions about acting in the best interests of the club and there are non-disparagement provisions in the contracts as well,\u201d explains Singer of Onside Law. \u201cIsak is getting closer to being in breach, but the question then becomes what are the consequences of that? It\u2019s pretty limited.\u201d<\/p>\n

A legal action against Isak is an option for Newcastle, but there is no precedent for this \u2014 and for good reason. The forward remains the club\u2019s No 1 asset and a reconciliation would appear to be the only means of protecting that if Isak fails to get his move.<\/p>\n

Could any outside body help resolve this dispute?<\/p>\n

This, for now, is a domestic dispute between a player and his club.<\/p>\n

FIFA, world football\u2019s governing body, can become involved in such cases if an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) is being disputed, but Isak attempting to join Liverpool would ultimately need a challenge to the Premier League\u2019s rules.<\/p>\n

There could be long-term implications for this kind of stand-off in light of the recent Lassana Diarra legal case, but a landmark ruling (explained at length here<\/a>) that brought changes to Article 17 of FIFA\u2019s regulations does nothing to alter Isak\u2019s position this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe problem for Isak is that he can\u2019t tear up his contract, so you can\u2019t force Newcastle to pass on your registration,\u201d says Singer.<\/p>\n

\u201cPremier League rules are very strong and, at the moment, there\u2019s no other club involved. It\u2019s just the player who is employed under a Premier League contract at a Premier League club, who both submit to the authority of the Premier League and its rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will Liverpool make another bid?<\/p>\n

Newcastle\u2019s rapid rejection of that \u00a3110million offer at the start of this month left Liverpool feeling that submitting an improved second bid would be futile. However, the Premier League champions haven\u2019t pursued an alternative target in the near three weeks since and remain keen to secure Isak\u2019s services if Newcastle\u2019s stance changes.<\/p>\n

They have the funds to break the British transfer record to get Isak. They have embarked on the biggest spending spree in their history this summer, with around \u00a3320million, including add-ons, committed to new signings, but have also generated up to \u00a3220m from player sales.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Will Arne Slot end up with Isak? (Michael Steele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Head coach Arne Slot has made it clear he feels Liverpool need to sign another attacker in this window, but will be only too aware that Isak agitating for a move won\u2019t necessarily improve their chances of getting him. Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho behaved similarly as Liverpool players when pursued by Arsenal and Barcelona respectively over the past decade or so. However, on both occasions, Liverpool refused to sanction a sale in those summer windows.<\/p>\n

How does this statement affect relations between the two clubs ahead of Monday\u2019s game between them?<\/p>\n

Isak\u2019s statement only inflames tensions further from a Newcastle perspective.<\/p>\n

Their supporters have been critical of what many perceive to be Liverpool\u2019s covert backing of Isak\u2019s stance. The feeling is that this is a deliberate attempt to force through a transfer at a fee substantially lower than Newcastle\u2019s valuation \u2014 a view shared by some figures at the Tyneside club.<\/p>\n

From Liverpool\u2019s perspective, Isak\u2019s statement and talk about \u201cbroken promises\u201d is an issue between him and Newcastle.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the summer, they were baffled by reports that they had hijacked Newcastle\u2019s pursuit of Ekitike. Anfield officials had been in contact with the Frenchman\u2019s camp since January, and Slot then held talks with him in May. They believed Newcastle were simply late to that particular party.<\/p>\n

The two clubs were also in competition for defender Giovanni Leoni, who joined Liverpool from Parma last week. Michael Edwards, who is chief executive of football for Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the American organisation which owns the Premier League champions, their sporting director Richard Hughes and Newcastle coach Howe have been friends since their time together as players at Portsmouth more than two decades ago, but business is business.<\/p>\n

On the field, meanwhile, a \u2018mini\u2019 rivalry was already emerging, at least from the Newcastle end, following March\u2019s Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool. Howe has also yet to beat the Anfield side in the Premier League and is desperate to change that.<\/p>\n

What are fans planning for Monday, and are there security concerns?<\/p>\n

Wor Flags, the Newcastle supporters\u2019 group that orchestrates displays at St James\u2019 Park, is planning a pre-match reveal.<\/p>\n

Security-wise, Newcastle insist they always put on adequate provisions and there is no suggestion of special measures being laid on for this match.<\/p>\n

Whether Edwards and Hughes will attend as part of the visiting delegation is unclear. Edwards and FSG technical director Julian Ward were both present at the corresponding fixture last season, as they tied it in with a visit to see Ben Doak, then on loan at Newcastle\u2019s north-east neighbours Middlesbrough.<\/p>\n

The Liverpool executives who attend away matches vary between the likes of CEO Billy Hogan, club ambassadors Sir Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush (both former Newcastle employees), club secretary Danny Stanway, and chief legal and external affairs officer Jonathan Bamber.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Wor Flags\u2019 display in honour of Isak in November 2024 (Paul Ellis\/AFP via Getty Images)Could all this simply be forgotten in a few weeks?<\/p>\n

Extremely unlikely.<\/p>\n

Harry Kane at Tottenham and Wayne Rooney at Manchester United both pushed to leave their clubs and ended up fully reintegrated, but in the social-media-dominated landscape of 2025, it is difficult to envisage the resentment and hurt many Newcastle fans now feel dissipating entirely.<\/p>\n

That does not mean it is unthinkable that Isak will play for the club again. He is a world-class centre-forward and Newcastle desperately need goals. If he plays, shows commitment and scores frequently, the strength of feeling may begin to wane, if never entirely vanish.<\/p>\n

Isak, too, may get frustrated at not playing football, but as an olive branch to fans, a public apology would feel like a minimum requirement.<\/p>\n

Either way, his reputation among Newcastle fans has been irretrievably damaged.<\/p>\n

Additional reporting: James Pearce<\/p>\n

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