For a good portion of this past season, you couldn’t scroll the internet or turn on Sky Sports without hearing Alexander Isak’s name.
Or to be more specific, hearing Alexander Isak is a target of another club and that Newcastle United were likely losing him in the summer to a ‘bigger’ club. It was relentless.
Whether it was Arsenal being adamant about signing him after the Carabao Cup semi-finals, or Europe’s elite touted as a true proving ground for the 25-year-old, the club have stood firm in insisting he’s not for sale.
And ahead of such a big summer transfer window, the message looks to be the same, which has fans, pundits and journalists alike all in agreement.
Alan Shearer feels sure that Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is “going nowhere” this summer.
Our former No 9 believes our trophy-winning season and qualification for the Champions League will keep the former Borussia Dortmund and Real Sociedad star on Tyneside, hoping this becomes a regular occurrence to retain our top players.
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer said: “Alexander Isak is going nowhere. He’s got his contract, Newcastle have won a trophy and qualified for Champions League football.
“So from my point of view, there’s no worry about losing him but what Newcastle have to do is make this a regular.”
There’s still another three years to go on Isak’s current contract with the club, and it’s been widely reported it would take at least £150m for the club to even come to the negotiating table over a possible transfer.
Further to Shearer’s comments, The Athletic’s David Ornstein – has also commented on Isak’s future and offered a reassuring update to any Toon fans who are still nervous over his future.
Explaining why the Swede now looks certain to stay at Newcastle this summer, Ornstein told NBC Sports: “For them, it’s not so much about the PSR, it’s more about their stature, and the Saudi-led ownership ambitions to really kick on.
“Also, keeping somebody like Alexander Isak. If Newcastle reached the Champions League, he is going nowhere. Newcastle’s perspective is that he’s not for sale at any price.”
The club chairman, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, has reportedly told the club hierarchy to resist any and all offers for the striker.
But as secure as we may be at the moment concerning Isak, we still have to hold up our end of the bargain: consistent, deep runs across all competitions, bolstering the squad and inevitably offering a big wage increase that reflects his star status.
So even if the window goes awry at times, and moves may be called into question by the fanbase, we can all rest assured that when it comes to Alexander Isak, he will be going nowhere anytime soon.