Latest Newcastle United transfer news as Sam Allardyce has his say on striker Alexander Isak
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Former Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce has shared his feelings towards Alexander Isak and his ongoing transfer stand-off against the club.
Isak has appeared determined to quit Newcastle this summer. He has not gone as far as making a formal transfer request but intends to not play for Eddie Howe's team again.
He missed the entirety of the pre-season schedule - because of a thigh injury to begin with - and now his manager is not considering him for selection for this coming weekend's Premier League opener vs Aston Villa.
Once the new campaign kicks off, the situation surrounding Isak could threaten to detract from the progress Howe's team make on the field of play, therefore Allardyce has made it abundantly clear what he would be do if he still held a position of power at St. James' Park in a stern warning to the Swedish forward.
"Sell him. I’d sell him, I’d go for the best price," he told 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."
Newcastle swiftly rejected a British-record £110m offer from reigning champions Liverpool almost two weeks ago and they have not returned with a follow-up offer since.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Content Image
Content Image
Whilst Allardyce feels, in this instance, the Magpies would be better off breaking away from the problem, he also believes that players should not have as much power when they are tied to long contracts. Isak's current deal in the North East only expires in 2028.
The 70-year-old added: "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, or players, that are 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 players across the Premier League saying 'you can’t treat your clubs like this after you’ve dedicated yourself to a contract'."
Allardyce also produced a disheartening verdict for anybody who has hope that Newcastle would be able find another source of goals if they were to part ways with Isak.
"The problem is where do you find the centre forward," he added. "Look how long it's taken Arsenal to find one!
"While they've been out looking, at the moment I don't think there is anybody they can buy who is going to be better than Isak in the Premier League. That's the problem for Newcastle.
"It's going to be particularly difficult for them because of the demands of playing in the Champions League and the Premier League.
"Finding a centre forward to replace him is nearly impossible."