Alexander Isak told to keep pushing for Liverpool move: 'There's no loyalty in football, we're just meat to clubs' | OneFootball

Michail Antonio, recently released by West Ham, says a player is entitled to better themselves at another club

Alexander Isak is right to push for a move to Liverpool, says Michail Antonio, because of a lack of loyalty in the game.

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Newcastle manager Eddie Howe confirmed last week that Isak is not ready to be reintegrated back into the first-team squad, and Antonio feels it is only fair for the player to push for what he believes is in his best interests.

"People are gonna love it or gonna hate what I'm gonna say, but I'm gonna say either way," he told Standard Sport at the FA Community Shield.

"As a player, loyalty in the game has really gone. Obviously I was at West Ham for 10 years, that [loyalty] doesn't really last anymore, and I feel rightly so, because end of the day, clubs no longer treat players like they used to either.

"Why should the player be loyal to a club? I understand being loyal to fans, but being loyal to a club when he's going to try and better himself and better his life and try and achieve things that he's not going to achieve at another club."

Agreement: Alexander Isak and Michail Antonio

London Standard

He added: "We are meat to them. As soon as we start going stale, it's time to sell or throw away... it's all about money, and how much money can they make [for] the club? If a club is going to think about the money side of things, why shouldn't a player?

"It's not just with the players, it's also with the fans. Increasing the season tickets and increasing everything else around it to make it harder for fans to go to games, harder for the true fans because a lot of the true fans don't make that much money. The more you raise tickets [prices], the more you're stopping them from coming to games."

West Ham confirmed last week that Antonio was being released following the expiry of his contract, leaving Antonio without a club.

The 35-year-old has confirmed he has received offers from clubs abroad this summer but is in no rush to make a decision over his future.

He said: "I played three games for Jamaica in the Gold Cup, then I came back and played 45 minutes for [West Ham's] Under-21s the other day and managed to score two goals. So I definitely know I'm good, I know I'm fit.

"It's just waiting for the opportunity, the right opportunity. I've spoken to a couple of clubs. I've had a couple of offers that I'm just holding out on to see if anything better comes.

"I'm not against [moving abroad] but I have to think about my kids... now that they're getting older, and now I'm coming to the end of my career, I have to put them first."

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