Alexander Isak completed a £125m move to Liverpool on deadline day after pushing for a transfer throughout pre-season.
Alexander Isak completed a transfer from Newcastle to Liverpool in the summer transfer window.View 2 Images
Former Newcastle United manager Ruud Gullit has defended Alexander Isak for the way he went about getting a move from the club to Liverpool in the summer transfer window.
Most of the summer was dominated by talk over the striker’s future with him training away from the main group in pre-season and missing games as he pushed for the move. That transfer eventually came on deadline day with Eddie Howe’s team receiving a record £125million fee.
Isak's actions to push for a move, unsurprisingly, did not go down well with Newcastle fans. It has also received criticism from other areas, but Gullit has looked at things from another perspective.
"It works also the other way around. If they don't like you anymore for whatever reason, you get sold," he exclusively said, via Videogamer.com.
"So you have to look at it from both sides, and of course, the fans will not be happy if the best player wants to leave. That's for every club around the world.
"But if you're not good enough, they're happy to get you out. Therefore, it is difficult for the player themselves because you come, you go away and you don’t want to leave as a villain.
"That's the point. But you only have a career until you're 34. Maybe 32. And you want to get out, you want to do everything that is possible in order to succeed in your career, your whole career.
"And if he thinks that that is the right way, he got his transfer anyway. You don't want to leave like that, but people need to understand that it also goes the other way.
"If they want to get rid of you, they do. I don't hear anybody talking about that! It’s more difficult for the players."
Alexander Isak has struggled to make an impact at Liverpool following his move from Newcastle.View 2 Images
Isak has struggled to have an impact at Anfield since completing his move in the summer. He is continuing to build up his fitness after seeing pre-season disrupted by the move.
In his nine appearances in all competitions so far this season, he has scored just once, with that goal coming in a League Cup victory over Championship side Southampton.
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Isak started Liverpool’s Premier League game against Nottingham Forest at the weekend but couldn't help stop his side falling to a 3-0 loss to leave them in 11th place in the Premier League table.
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