Latest Liverpool transfer news as Sam Allardyce reacts to Alexander Isak and his ongoing saga over a move to Anfield
Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce(Image: Simon Davies/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)
Sam Allardyce says he would sell Alexander Isak in Newcastle United's position as Liverpool eye a move for the forward. Isak, after being the target of a rejected £110m bid from Liverpool, has reportedly told his current club he will never play for them again and is attempting to force an exit.
So far, the Reds have not outlined plans to return with another attempt to make the signing and now have less than three weeks until the transfer window closes. Meanwhile Newcastle have exiled their player from training with Eddie Howe's squad on the eve of the new Premier League campaign.
Now Allardyce, who spent eight months at St. James' Park in the 2007/08 campaign and has over 30 years of experience in management, has explained what he would do in Newcastle's situation.
"Sell him. I’d sell him, I’d go for the best price," Allardyce said to talkSPORT. "Once a player makes his mind up as determined as he is, and because there’s nothing else you can do role-wise. I suppose if he stays away, the only thing you do is don’t pay him, but that obviously becomes a situation where nobody wins."
However, the 70-year-old went on to criticise the Liverpool transfer target and other players who have acted similarly in past transfer scenarios, taking the side of the selling club.
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Allardyce continued: "That's unless the board are strong enough to say ‘let him rot, Sam, we’ll go and buy you another centre-forward’, which is the best way to deal with it in my opinion.
"Somebody has to stand up to a player that’s gonna start doing this on a regular basis, where they’ve got contracts, in Isak’s case, a particularly long contract of three years, then the owners are obviously looking not to devalue him.
"But at the end of the day if you want to stand up and be counted, put a shock across the Premier League saying ‘you can’t treat your clubs like this after you’ve dedicated yourself to a contract'."
Isak has reportedly taken further action himself as he hopes to leave Newcastle. The 25-year-old's house in the North East is said to be on the rental market as he already intends to leave the area.
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