Liverpool signed Isak from Newcastle for a British record transfer fee
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 26: A dejected Alexander Isak of Liverpool and Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool walk off at full time during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Liverpool FC and PSV Eindhoven at Anfield on November 26, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
A dejected Alexander Isak and Ibrahima Konate walk off at full-time following Liverpool's 4-1 home loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League
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Liverpool's British transfer record move to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for £125million was a 'ridiculous' decision.
That is the cutting verdict of former Newcastle and Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt who feels the circumstances surrounding the move was 'asking for trouble'.
Isak eventually joined the Reds after effectively going on strike on Tyneside in order to force a move. He has been playing catch-up fitness-wise ever since and is still yet to score in the Premier League or the Champions League for his new side.
After winning the Premier League last season, Liverpool have now lost nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions which is their worst run of form in 71 years.
Isak is among a number of big-money summer signings who have failed to hit the ground running at Anfield but Butt believes 'alarm bells' should have been ringing in the squad after the decision to sign Isak despite his conduct over the summer at Newcastle.
And he has suggested that sanctioning the move despite those circumstances may have affected the squad dynamic on Merseyside.
"I still think the Isak one, even though he did really well at Newcastle, I think the price tag for him was ridiculous," Butt told the Good, the Bad and the Football podcast.
"The circumstances were ridiculous and I do think when you bring people into a squad, if you upset the apple cart if you like, that squad had just won the league.
"If you bring a player in for that much money who has just kicked up such a fuss to leave a club that looked after him and, let's be honest, gave him a chance, that is alarm bells ringing for me.
"I don't care what anybody says and I understand why the lad wanted to leave Newcastle because Liverpool had just won the league but that is alarm bells ringing for me.
"I am telling you now if you start messing about with a squad's dynamic that has done so well the year before then you are asking for trouble.
Nicky Butt has slammed Liverpool's decision to sanction 'ridiculous' Alexander Isak transfer
Nicky Butt has slammed Liverpool's decision to sanction 'ridiculous' Alexander Isak transfer
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"I know it is easy to sit here and say it in the aftermath but with Isak and the circumstances around it all, it is just never going to work.
"I might sit here in nine months' time and look like an absolute d**k for saying that if he goes and scores a load of goals, and I am sure he is very capable of doing that.
"But I am telling you now, if you have got a proper squad built where you have each other's back, that squad will be tight. You won't all be best mates but when you affect a squad and affect it in a really dodgy way, in my opinion, you are asking for trouble.
"If I was sat in the changing room with a player who is a seven or eight out of 10 every week but a great lad I would rather have him in my team than someone who is a superstar and is nine out of 10 every week but is a complete d**k.
"By the way, I am not saying Isak is a d**k, I don't know his personality but there were certain dynamics around that transfer that just wasn't right.
"I have spoken to a few of the older [former] Liverpool players and they have said the same. After what has been said you wouldn't want to welcome him into your squad. No chance."