This just doesn’t add up with Alexander Isak | OneFootball

The Alexander Isak situation was raised a couple of more notches on Tuesday.

Not that it needed it of course.

However, the claims (see below) that Alexander Isak would refuse to play for Newcastle United if still at St James’ Park after the transfer window closes, predictably dominated NUFC fan debate and the media throughout the day.

As always in these situations, a lot of smoke and mirrors. What should you believe?

Yesterday’s claims were that basically Alexander Isak made clear to the club last summer that the 2024/25 season would definitely be the last season he would play for Newcastle United. Then at various points during last season, the striker supposedly backed this up, allegedly saying a number of times to Eddie Howe/Newcastle United there was no way he would play for NUFC in 2025/26.

This just doesn’t add up though with Alexander Isak…

In numerous interviews throughout last season, Isak always spoke positively about his future at Newcastle United. Including/especially towards the very end of the 2024/25 season.

Alexander Isak happily modelled the new 2025/26 Newcastle United kits. The striker appearing in a promotional video with Tino Asprilla and many others, ahead of one kit launch.

Alexander Isak travelled to Austria for a pre-season training camp in mid-July 2025.

Absolutely none of this and other pointers, suggested in any way that Alexander Isak was never going to play for Newcastle United again, quite the opposite.

Whilst Alexander Isak and the rest of the NUFC squad were in Austria, that was when Liverpool pushed the story into the media that they were supposedly prepared to pay £120m for Alexander Isak.

That was on 15 July 2025 and it is from that point that the Alexander Isak situation blew up. Newcastle United returned from Austria to play Celtic on 19 July and Eddie Howe sent Isak back to Tyneside, rather than the injured striker watching the game, Howe saying it wasn’t fair on the striker sitting there with so much intense media speculation surrounding him, after that Liverpool midweek stunt with the media.

No bid was then made by Liverpool for Alexander Isak, after lighting that Isak fire in the media they instead walked away and negotiated then bid for Hugo Ekitike, who Newcastle had put an offer in for. Liverpool signing Ekitike.

More than two weeks after planting that £120m story in the media, Liverpool did at last make a formal bid, for £110m! Incredibly, after all that, Liverpool offering some £40m before United’s valuation, IF they ever decided to sell.

Conclusions?

Ironically, David Ornstein, who broke this Alexander Isak refusing to play for Newcastle story yesterday, did himself do a big piece for The Athletic the day after last season ended, saying he thought all but zero chance of Isak leaving Newcastle this summer according to his sources etc etc. Yet now he is saying that his ‘sources privy to the matter’ have detailed how all along Alexander Isak was never going to play for Newcastle United ever again after the 2024/25 season!

Isak was understandably annoyed when in early 2024 Amanda Staveley promised him a new improved contract would be sorted in summer 2024, then the club reneged on that. However, I think for sure that both the player and the club were expecting that this summer (2025) a new improved contract was belatedly going to be agreed AND Alexander Isak was still going to be a Newcastle player for the 2025/26 season.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that Ornstein’s sources for the claims yesterday, were Isak’s agent(s).

Agents will say and do anything to improve their bank balance.

Liverpool have hung Alexander Isak out to dry.

His agents have acted in similar fashion with their advice.

Alexander Isak isn’t blameless in all of this, far from it, however he has to now take control of the situation as it will be he who suffers, not Liverpool, nor his agents.

It is time for Alexander Isak to sit down with Eddie Howe, apologise and ask how they can work this out. Liverpool are not going to get him on the cheap and better clubs will be looking for a new centre-forward next summer, if he still wants to leave.

Once Isak squares it with Eddie Howe, everything else can follow.

Eddie Howe is the main man (not Isak or anybody else!) at Newcastle United and if he says this is what he wants to happen, the fans and the NUFC owners will fall in line.

David Ornstein of The Athletic – 12 August 2025:

‘Based on conversations with sources privy to the matter, The Athletic understands Alexander Isak is adamant he will never represent Newcastle again.

Even if they refuse to sell the 25-year-old Sweden striker and he remains on Tyneside when the transfer window closes, Isak regards his career at St James’s Park as finished and has no desire to reintegrate into the squad.

Isak’s perspective is that after being informed last summer that a new contract would not yet be offered to him — because of Newcastle’s need to comply with football’s financial rules and Isak already having a lucrative deal until 2028 — he made clear it would be his last campaign with the club.

Some at Newcastle deny this was expressed and believe the forward planned to discuss the situation, including the possibility of fresh terms, once 2024-25 concluded.

Isak helped his side win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League. Two weeks before the season ended, he told Howe of his wish to leave and reiterated this on a call to the manager before flying to Sweden after a final-day defeat by Everton.

Liverpool are yet to make another offer since their £110million bid at the beginning of August was turned down. Newcastle’s stance may soften if a proposal closer to £150m arrives and they can fill Isak’s void through the market.