Alan Shearer has not been impressed by Alexander Isak’s recent conduct at Newcastle United.
Alan Shearer has slammed Alexander Isak for the way he has handled his Newcastle United future.
In what has developed into the leading transfer saga of the summer, the Swede is effectively on strike at St James’ Park as he pursues a Liverpool move. Newcastle have already rejected one offer - worth around £110million - from the Reds a fortnight ago.
Isak is training alone, with The Athletic reporting earlier this week that he has vowed to never play for the club again - even if his desired move breaks down. He is not expected to feature at Aston Villa this weekend as Newcastle get their Premier League season underway.
Alan Shearer on Alexander Isak
Speaking to The Sports Agents podcast, Toon icon Shearer defended Eddie Howe as he hit out at Isak for his pre-season no-show. He said: “There are so many moving parts to it, but it's still not a good look for him or for Newcastle. You have to feel sorry for Eddie Howe. I mean, his plans have been thrown right up into the air.
“He's going into the first game of the season without one of if not his best player, certainly his best forward, through no fault of his own. I don't think it's helped that Newcastle haven't got a chief executive or a director of football. I don't know whether that's been a hindrance in trying to get players in, whether they've not been able to get answers or a lack of communication, I don't know. But that isn't a good look either.”
“When a player wants to leave, it can become very difficult, and there are ways to do it. And at the minute, I don't think, and many, many thousands of Newcastle fans don't think, that he's doing it the right way. There are ways to go about trying to get out of a football club. Refusing to play and not going on trips is not the right way to do that - and it's not a good look.”
Eddie Howe talks Alexander Isak
Howe told reporters on Saturday that the Isak decision, ultimately, is out of his hands. He said: “That’s a decision that I won’t make. That will be for other people to make. For me, I’m just trying to manage the situation and manage the team, most importantly, manage the group of players that I’m working with day to day, that I love coaching and helping.
“We’re focusing on Aston Villa. Everything else, to a degree, from my perspective, is not in my control, so it’s not my focus. That’s not something I’m aware of (whether Isak has been told he must stay). Of course, there are discussions going on all the time that I’m not party to. I have no knowledge of that.”
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Top four set in stone?
Shearer also claimed the spending power of last season’s top four makes it difficult for anyone else to break in. He added: “The chasing pack must look up to Chelsea, City, Arsenal and Liverpool and think, ‘What chance have we got? Because when they look at the funds that they've shelled out again this summer, it's going to be really, really difficult for everyone who has got any ambition to get in around the top four.”
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