Martin Keown says Newcastle United star gives him belief NUFC can start to do special things | OneFootball

Martin Keown has given one Newcastle United player rave reviews.

The BBC Sport pundit declaring ‘If he was in my team he would be starting to give me the belief that we can start to do special things.’

Martin Keown talking about Alexander Isak.

After his performances and goals against Wolves and Forest in the last two matches, the Sweden international getting universal plaudits, as journalists and pundits wake up to just how good he is.

No surprise to Newcastle United fans that this media reaction is now happening.

The recruitment record under Eddie Howe and the new club hierarchy has been outstanding, even the much criticised Chris Wood deal was in reality a massive success. Newcastle United were staring relegation in the face and didn’t have a Premier League striker, as Callum Wilson was set to miss the second half of the 2021/22 season. In his 15 PL starts last season, Chris Wood helped NUFC pick up an outstanding 29 points.

The likes of Burn, Targett, Trippier and Pope all proving superb signings as well, very much known quantities already in the Premier League but arguably proving even better than anticipated.

As for the big money spent on young overseas players…

Bruno Guimaraes, what a brilliant player.

Sven Botman, see above.

As for Alexander Isak…

Against Forest, the two goals simply topped off an excellent overall personal performance. Easily man of the match.

Arguably his best piece of skill was the one that went unrewarded, as his superb assist for Elliot Anderson’s ‘goal’ will now not appear in the record books, due to one of the worst VAR / Refereeing decisions of the season. Which is saying something!

However, seven months ago, on his debut back in August 2022, Alexander Isak showed everybody just how good he is.

Thrown in at the deep end at Anfield, he tormented the Liverpool defence, scoring one brilliant goal and having an even better one very unluckily / undeservedly disallowed. You could see then the sheer top quality he possessed.

Alexander Isak now has six goals despite starting only seven Premier League matches, averaging a goal every 104 PL minutes he is is on the pitch.

Alexander Isak cost £59m (plus another £4m in future add-ons if hitting certain targets) which of course isn’t cheap.

However, if it hadn’t been for that bad thigh injury that has so affected his first season with Newcastle, the media would have caught on long before now, as to how class Isak is.

In today’s market, that kind of transfer fee is the going rate for elite players, especially goalscorers and goal makers. Just look at Nunez who cost Liverpool £85m, Antony costing Man U £86m, as for the numerous very expensive Chelsea signings both last summer and in January…

It might sound crazy but just a sign of the times, in my opinion £59m / £63m will I think look a real bargain, once Alexander Isak is up and running with a decent number of Premier League starts behind him.

Martin Keown speaking to BBC Sport about Newcastle United:

“I think Alexander Isak is a player.

“If he was in my team he would be starting to give me the belief that we can start to do special things.

“Callum Wilson was able to sit on the bench [against Nottingham Forest], he had a bit of an injury.