Newcastle United’s ownership have stayed quiet on the Alexander Isak saga
Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan believes the Public Investment Fund have shown a lack of leadership over Alexander Isak.
Newcastle United are embroiled in the biggest transfer saga of the summer - albeit against their wishes. Isak made his intention to leave the club clear last month when he bailed the pre-season tour of Asia.
Toon fans idolised the Swede and have been left dumbfounded by his refusal to represent the Magpies. He wants out - and Liverpool saw an initial offer worth £110million rejected a fortnight ago.
Simon Jordan on Alexander Isak
Speaking to talkSPORT, ex-Palace supremo Jordan questioned whether PIF have been transparent enough with the Isak saga. He has suggested stronger leadership should have been taken, like how Nottingham Forest handled the Morgan Gibbs-White situation.
“This situation was always going to come up, Isak was always going to be sought after, he was always going to be a player in demand,” Jordan said. “So there was always going to be this position where they needed to clarify very clearly with the player what they were going to be doing with him.
“We can’t listen to players turn around and say that we had a gentleman’s agreement, we had an understanding because it’s all rubbish. My belief is that, if Newcastle had been stronger in the same way that Nottingham Forest were strong enough with Morgan Gibbs-White when that situation reared its head, when big clubs don’t want a player to leave, more often than not, that player doesn’t leave.
“In this instance, Newcastle are morphing from a club that’s very big with a very passionate fan base into a club that wants to be amongst the legacy football clubs. That step is a difficult one because the owners are well-seeded financially, they’re pretty compliant with the governance of the game, they’re not pushing the envelope. In this instance, I think the vacuum of leadership has allowed Isak and his agent to do what they’re doing.”
Alan Pardew on Alexander Isak saga
Speaking to talkSPORT, former Toon boss Alan Pardew ripped into Isak for disrespecting a “great” football club. He said: "The transfer to me looks like it can't be done because Newcastle are going to dig their heels in now. I think they are angry. I would also be if I was on the Newcastle board. I would dig my heels in, so the fee could go really silly.
“The problem is, he's handled it so badly. He couldn't have handled it any worse. His agents and advisors have said to him to throw down the tools after serving that football club - a great football club by the way - and he's doing really bad things to hold them to ransom and more or less force a way out.”
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Eddie Howe discusses Alexander Isak saga
Eddie Howe has excluded the 25-year-old from training with the first-team setup until further notice. He hinted at - while not confirming - the decision not to play was Isak’s when grilled by the media.
"We've had discussions and it's clear at the moment that we can't involve him with the group," Howe told reporters. "I don't know how long that will be for, but that's the latest.
“I want him to be playing today. I'd want him training tomorrow. We would love the player to be with us. Let me make that absolutely clear. There's no part of me that doesn't want that outcome, but I don't see the current situation changing for Aston Villa."
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