Jill Scott and Roy Keane have jokingly suggested Alexander Isak should join Sunderland during a lively debate on The Overlap
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak’s future has been one of the summer’s biggest transfer talking points – but it took a humorous twist when Jill Scott and Roy Keane suggested a Wearside switch on The Overlap.
The discussion centred on reports that Liverpool had tabled – and seen rejected – an initial £110million bid for the Swedish forward. Newcastle are holding firm, insisting they will only sell if they sign a replacement and receive a British record fee before the 7pm deadline on Monday, 1 September.
With Isak’s situation dominating headlines, former Sunderland star Scott joked: “He could go to Sunderland. We’ll take him.” That prompted Keane, also a former Black Cats and Ipswich Town manager, to quip: “That would be a step up for him.”
The pair’s exchange drew laughs from the panel, which also featured Jamie Carragher. Gary Neville and Ian Wright. Neville questioned Newcastle’s timing if they were to let Isak go: “How can they let him go now at such short notice when it’s not in their plans, they’ve not replaced him, they’ve got a real problem if he leaves. I think for their season and for their success as a football club… they have to keep him for one year.”
Neville added that if he was in charge, he would push for an agreement to keep the striker until next summer, while Wright took the opposite view: “If I’m going to be totally honest, Gal, I’d want to do a deal with him to get him out now… because the rest of the lads now, with the way he’s acting…”
Keane, drawing on dressing room experience, suggested things could be smoothed over if Isak ended up staying and performed: “We’ve all been in a dressing room where a player thinks he’s leaving and it falls through… if you come back and you start scoring goals, lads… soon forgotten.”
Isak has been handed the number 14 shirt for the new campaign, but with Newcastle’s opening fixture against Aston Villa approaching, it’s unlikely he will feature. The Magpies face a tense few weeks as they look to keep hold of their star striker.
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Régis Le Bris has confirmed that Sunderland’s three most recent summer signings are in contention to face West Ham United – although they may have to settle for a place on the bench.
Marc Guiu and Arthur Masuaku both missed the club’s final pre-season friendlies as they built up match fitness, while centre-back Omar Alderete was only unveiled earlier this week following his move from Getafe. Alderete endured a disrupted pre-season in Spain due to a minor knee problem, and while he is now fit, Le Bris has hinted at taking a cautious approach.
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“The final decision [on these players] will be late,” Le Bris said. “They came this week, so we will have to see if they are ready. To start or just the final part of the game? We’ll see tomorrow. I think with Marc, Arthur and Omar, we are going to have the opportunity to select them.
“I think it might be a little bit tough to start because of their fitness levels and because they have not had much time with their team-mates. So it might be a little bit early for them to start, but that is a decision we will make on Friday morning.
“With Omar, he has had two 45s, I think. There was also a small issue with his knee, but that is now totally healed. He had about ten days where he was not in full training. I think he is probably not really ready to start a game. I think if we needed him really, he could, because he is a warrior.”
With Alderete still working his way to full sharpness, Jenson Seelt could feature after an encouraging pre-season campaign. Le Bris also confirmed winger Romaine Mundle faces at least two months on the sidelines following hamstring surgery.
The 21-year-old suffered a recurrence of the injury during Sunderland’s pre-season training camp in Portugal. “The timeframe was about two-and-a-half or three months, so I think he will hopefully be back sometime in October,” Le Bris said.
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