Benfica Head Coach Jose Mourinho speaks to the media ahead of the UEFA Champions League match against Newcastle United at St James' Park on October 20, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.placeholder image
Benfica Head Coach Jose Mourinho speaks to the media ahead of the UEFA Champions League match against Newcastle United at St James' Park on October 20, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. | Getty Images
Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been discussing Alexander Isak’s move to Anfield
Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes Alexander Isak’s transfer to Liverpool was ‘very difficult’ for everybody involved at Newcastle United.
Mourinho was speaking ahead of his Benfica’s sides clash with the Magpies in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The Reds finally signed Isak for a £125m on transfer deadline day after weeks of speculation over the summer.
Isak had refused to train as he even issued a public statement accusing Newcastle of breaking promises made to him. Liverpool had failed with a £110m bid earlier in the summer but finally got a deal done.
Mourinho spoke about the transfer on Monday evening and felt it was difficult for Newcastle. The protracted nature of the deal has had a knock-on impact on Isak as he has appeared to lack sharpness since arriving at Anfield.
What Jose Mourinho said about Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool
Speaking on Monday, Mourinho said in a press conference: “What happened with Isak in the summer is very difficult for a club and very difficult for a coach and very difficult for the fellow players.
"I think in the end everybody knows he is going to leave to Liverpool. But one thing is everybody knows he is going to leave, and another is it is done.
"When it is done you can move on, when it is done you can have a new player and when you have a new player you can start to train and adapt to play with the new player because of course Isak and Nick Woltemade are different players."
Isak has struggled since his move to Anfield with one goal and one assist in all competitions. He did have a chance to score against Manchester United on Sunday but saw his effort saved. There is the possibility a sharper version of Isak would have found the net as the Reds rued a number of missed opportunities in their 2-1 defeat.
What Wayne Rooney said about Alexander Isak
While Mourinho felt Isak’s move was inevitable in the end, former United striker Wayne Rooney believes that the striker has harmed himself by not training during pre-season. He believes the Sweden international is now ‘paying the price’ for his lack of effective training over the summer.
"He hasn't trained, hasn't had a pre-season. It's so important. While Newcastle were training he was probably sat at home on the phone to his agent for six hours a day trying to get a move.
"It's so difficult when you don't have a pre-season. He might've done stuff by himself but he's paying the price of it.
"On performances, he doesn't deserve to be playing ahead of [Hugo] Ekitike."
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