Alexander Isak's legacy on Tyneside was ruined this summer as a result of his dramatic transfer to Liverpool, but Amanda Staveley has confessed that she's still a fan of the Swedish striker
Amanda Staveley speaks to Sky Sports
Amanda Staveley has spoken about Alexander Isak and PSR rules impacting Newcastle United
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Amanda Staveley has said that she and Mehrdad Ghodoussi "love" Alexander Isak and know that he will thrive at Liverpool.
However, the former Newcastle United minority stakeholder's assessment may not go down all too well on Tyneside, considering how the Swede tarnished his legacy this summer. Despite quickly becoming a fan-favourite at St James' Park, racking up 62 goals and 11 assists from 109 appearances, Isak saw his head turned by the Premier League champions after 2024/25.
What ensued was a summer of unrest in the northeast, with Isak missing Eddie Howe's pre-season preparations to train with his former club, Real Sociedad, before being frozen out upon his return to Darsley Park. Isak then secured a £125million move to Anfield on deadline day, much to the upset of United fans.
Despite the dramatic saga, Staveley has recently explained that she feels no ill will towards Isak, even going as far as saying that he will do "really well" with his new club. Speaking with Sky Sports at Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn II on Saturday evening alongside her husband, she said: "I'm so proud of Newcastle and how they're doing.
"And you know, we love Alex and we know he's going to do really well at Liverpool. He's a great player - Liverpool have got an extraordinary player, but equally so, it's great to see the [Newcastle] forwards doing so well and Newcastle performing really well."
Elsewhere in the conversation, Staveley was asked about if the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) were holding Newcastle back in their quest for glory in the English top flight and Europe. Asked about whether rules need to change, she added: "No, no.
"I think the PSR rules are actually quite helpful and they're there to help give fair competition. We navigated them well and we welcome them."
Ghodoussi then explained: "They're there for a reason. They will adapt and change in time, I'm sure, like everything does. But look, Newcastle's doing fantastically well, obviously they're having a bit of a hiccup now on the Premier League, but they're doing fantastically well in the Champions League and we're super proud of Eddie and the boys."
In the wake of Isak's departure, Newcastle rushed to sign Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart, who has impressed in the northeast since his arrival. The 23-year-old has managed four goals from eight appearances thus far for the Magpies in the Premier League.
The club also secured the services of Yoane Wissa from Brentford; however, the DR Congo international is yet to feature under Howe as a result of a knee injury sustained while representing his country. Isak, meanwhile, has come to learn that the grass isn't greener on Merseyside.
The 26-year-old has struggled to find his footing under Arne Slot, with his only goal from eight games coming in the form of a Carabao Cup clash with the Championship's Southampton. It comes as Newcastle have suffered a sub-par start to the new Premier League season.
Alexander Isak runs
Alexander Isak made the move to Liverpool this summer
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After 11 games, the Magpies have three wins, three draws, and five losses to show for their efforts, languishing in 14th place in the league standings. The side also headed into the November international break off the back of consecutive 3-1 Premier League losses to West Ham United and Brentford.
However, Newcastle are thriving in the Champions League. The club have achieved wins over Union Saint-Gilloise, Benfica and Athletic Club in Europe this term, with their only loss coming at the hands of Barcelona as they sit sixth in the league phase.
United play host to Manchester City when the Premier League returns come Saturday, November 22.
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