The ongoing Alexander Isak situation at Newcastle United is becoming unlike anything we’ve ever seen before at the club.
Despite Eddie Howe’s public defence of the striker, and wishing that he would indeed stay at the club, Isak’s decision to effectively go on strike for the start of the Premier League campaign is making it harder and harder for many fans to justify keeping him at the club.
However, not all blame has landed at Isak’s feet, as the likes of Liverpool and Isak’s own entourage must also be held accountable for the ongoing saga.
Isak’s agent, Vlado Lemic, has particularly been the source of much criticism in the last month, with one journalist lambasting Lemic for effectively orchestrating this current situation surrounding Isak.
The Telegraph’s [Luke Edwards](https://x.com/LukeEdwardsTele/status/1956012430271627281) has took aim at both player and agent in a recent comment, saying that Isak’s agent has ‘failed him so badly.’
The 25-year-old continues to burn bridges, not only spoiling his legacy on Tyneside, but making much of the media question his attitude as he continues to go on strike.
He’s been badly advised and has gone about this all wrong, with his absence costing Eddie Howe and his teammates what could and should have been an opening day win at Aston Villa yesterday.
Writing on X, he said: _‘Alexander Isak’s agent has failed him so badly. I don’t condone Isak’s behaviour in the slightest, but he was told the move to Liverpool would happen even though they are unwilling to match valuation and all had to do was behave badly to force it through._
_‘He’s now got a player who has alienated a fan base, tarnished his reputation within football forever who is probably not going to get the move he was told was his to make._
_‘He signed a six year contract with no release clause. His agent negotiated that. Trying to force your way out with three years left on that deal was always going to be a very risky road to go down but he did it anyway.’_
Although there is a sense of inevitably about Isak’s departure, Edwards believes there’s still a chance for Isak to redeem himself in the eyes of the fans and those who’ve backed him for the last three years:
_‘Isak might still end up at Liverpool but the chances are fading rapidly and have been for weeks now. How he repairs the damage remains to be seen but he will play next season regardless._
_‘The sooner he realises the terrible mistake he has made and apologies the better. Play well, score goals, he will get a huge move next summer if that’s what he wants.’_
Should September 1st roll around and Isak is still a Newcastle United player, all parties involved will want to come to a sort of resolution over where Isak stands at the club for at least the following few months.
But Isak will be needing game time: without it, not only does he keep himself out of form and contention for that big money move he’s clamouring for, but he’d also risk his place at the World Cup for Sweden.
Even the legendary Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn’t a lock for the Swedish World Cup squad during his heyday, being notably absent from the 2018 team: Isak could very well find himself in a similar situation despite being his country’s best player on paper.
So it may only be a matter of time until he must accept his wrongdoings, apologise to the gaffer and the squad for disrupting almost everything to do with the club, and then and only then should he really be considered for our starting striker role again.