MAC OF THE NET COLUMN: Newcastle are facing the prospect of losing star striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool with just two weeks to go before the season starts and no replacement lined up
07:00, 02 Aug 2025
Chris McKenna
Chris McKenna is the Daily Star's boxing correspondent and an expert voice on the 'sweet science', along with a hugely experienced football reporter, who primarily focuses on Merseyside giants Liverpool and Everton. He has covered world title fights all around the world, Champions League finals, FA Cup finals and Premier League title deciders.
Newcastle United's Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak wants to leave Newcastle this summer with Liverpool interested(Image: PA)
What is going on at Newcastle United?
Surely they’re now the best example that just having a load of money doesn’t buy you a well-run club. Now I’m not talking about transfer spending before any PSR bores jump out at me claiming they can’t just spend because of the made up ‘Red Cartel’ and their rules.
But the North East club can bring in the best people in football if they want to run the club and whoever is there now is making a mess of it. They’ve just had their best season in over 70 years as they won a trophy and qualified for the Champions League.
READ MORE: Liverpool's 'formal offer' for wantaway Alexander Isak rejected by NewcastleREAD MORE: Alexander Isak could choose 'nuclear option' if Newcastle block Liverpool transfer
Yet they’re about to lose their star player to Liverpool in the next couple of weeks and they can’t sign a replacement because they keep getting beaten to signings by a Manchester United which finished 15th last season? Surely those bankrolling all this in Saudi Arabia are not one bit happy.
We’re led to believe that Amanda Staveley was the one holding it all together but now she’s left it is falling apart. But something wasn’t right well before that. Dan Ashworth couldn’t wait to leave the sporting director role once United came calling.
Now Paul Mitchell has followed in leaving just a year into the job. Can they not work with manager Eddie Howe? What’s the problem there? If it is a problem should the head coach not be questioned?
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Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe before the preseason friendly match against K-League XI
Eddie Howe is facing the prospect of losing his star striker(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Image)
PSR may be stopping them from spending from the bottomless pit of cash they have from the PIF. But it is not stopping them hiring the best staff to ensure they’re a well-oiled machine behind the scenes at least.
Now Isak wanting to go when the Premier League champions are sniffing around and willing to pay a British transfer record fee is understandable. But what sort of club allows him to not go on tour when recovering from a minor injury and then train on his own in Spain rather than at the club’s base?
What sort of well-run club is having such a scatter-gun approach to summer signings too? They wanted Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo but couldn’t get them then switched to Yoane Wissa at Brentford? Now they want Benjamin Sesko but if they can’t get him they’re going for Ollie Watkins?
Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig applauds the fans after defeating VfL Wolfsburg
Newcastle are now chasing RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko(Image: Getty Images)
How is such a financially backed club hanging around until August before securing a striker when they apparently knew Isak wanted to go this summer? Anthony Elanga - their big signing so far - may be worried he won’t have a striker to pass to later this month when the season starts.
Newcastle can moan that PSR rules stop them from catching their rivals in the transfer market. But they’re showing this summer that having loads of money doesn’t make you a well-run club even if they have Champions League to offer and look forward to.
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The football is back. League One and Two return today and the season is back underway.
Football fans have been starved off action. All they’ve had to watch over the last few weeks since late May were international friendlies, Nations League deciders, a bloated and overpromoted Club World Cup and the women’s Euros.
How ever did they cope? Oh and they’ve got Sky Sports ramming down a Premier League summer series tournament involving Manchester United.
Now the lower leagues are back, Scottish league football is back and next weekend the Championship and Community Shield is on. Saturation much?
ONSIDE
Teenagers Rio Ngumoha and Max Dowman shining for Liverpool and Arsenal on tour. Two gems for England going forward.
OFFSIDE
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Everton’s summer business. Setting David Moyes up to fail if they don’t land players.