While Isak sits on the sidelines, several Premier League stars got on with their jobs last weekend
Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace Eberechi Eze's salutes the fans(Image: Getty Images)
Perhaps if Alexander Isak took time off from feeling sorry for himself and looked round football's landscape it might dawn on him that manners maketh man. While Isak sulks and skulks in the corner of his self-imposed exile, fellow Premier League stars acted very differently on the opening weekend of the Premier League season under similar difficult circumstances.
It was automatically thought that Eberechi Eze would be left out of Crystal Palace's team to play world club champions Chelsea with his proposed big money transfer to Spurs reaching a critical stage in negotiations.
However to the surprise of most not only did Eze start he produced a man of the match performance and but for a little known rule would have scored the winner. So much for going on strike or sulking!
At the same time England international and club captain Marc Guehi gave it his all just as he did to help Palace win the FA Cup and Community Shield after his transfer to Newcastle United was repeatedly blocked in the last transfer window as Palace tried to squeeze the last penny out of the payers and speculation about a new deal with Liverpool was rife.
Then there is the case of Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest's England international and their inspiration during the club's surprise rise up the PL last season. He first suffered the huge disappointment of losing out on a transfer to Manchester City only to see his hopes of Champions League football this season revived when Tottenham triggered his £60m release clause.
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However Forest's aggressive owner Evangelos Marinakis, as unstoppable as a runaway steamroller hurtling downhill, locked Gibbs-White in a room until he agreed to a new contract which made him the highest paid player in Forest's history. He was going nowhere.
Did Gibbs-White throw a moody at losing out on a European dream move to one of the Elite Six while under duress? Did he take the money but brood on lost chances?
No he was Forest's star man as they began their new season with a 3-1 victory over Brentford. No talk of his head being turned resulting in him being befuddled or preoccupied.
Isak has gone on strike because he wants to join what he considers to be a bigger club than Newcastle. However did Eze withdraw labour to push through his move to Spurs? Did Guehi suddenly discover a previously undetected injury and go into permanent hibernation?
No, as with Gibbs-White toys stayed firmly in the pram, dignity remained intact, and their standing with fans remains sky high. In contrast Isak has blown his reputation on Tyneside to smithereens.
Yes, United's record goalscorers Alan Shearer and Jackie Milburn cemented their legendary status by finishing their big time careers in black-and-white but it is possible to leave the Magpies when in your pomp and still be adored by the Toon Army. SuperMac did it. Les Ferdinand did it. Peter Beardsley did it. Because they never publicly rode roughshod over feelings.
For goodness sake Hughie Gallacher did it at the very height of his fame. Having captained United and top scored when they won their last top flight title back in 1927 he was controversially sold to Chelsea during the summer of 1930. Were supporters angry and disillusioned at their star striker leaving? No, the general feeling was of adulation and appreciation.
So much so that only 12 weeks or so later when Chelsea and Hughie came to St James' Park for a midweek afternoon kick off - no floodlights then - local factories were deserted as 68,586 packed into the ground like sardines in a tin with an estimated 10,000 locked outside. It still stands as United's record attendance to this very day.
By contrast Isak has burnt his Tyne bridges. Two players scored in the Carabao Cup final to bring us our greatest joy in yonks - Dan Burn is a lifelong fan whereas the other soon sought to join the beaten finalists. What a difference.
Before anyone points it out I know that Yoane Wissa has done exactly the same thing as Isak at Brentford and could end up here but I don't condone his way of going about things either just because of United's interest. There are ways and there are ways.
Wissa in his defence believes it is Brentford who have reneged on him rather than the other way round. The player insists he was told by Brentford last season that he could leave this summer for a fee of around £26m. Now the Bees want a replacement first and then £60m after upping the price yet again.
Lengthy negotiations are becoming common when dealing with Brentford. Manchester United were far from pleased when they kept changing their asking price for Bryan Mbeumo dragging talks out before a deal was finally struck.
Ironically despite so many rejections you could say United have eventually had a good summer transfer window outside of landing the two strikers they need more than any others.
Jacob Ramsey signs for Newcastle United
Jacob Ramsey(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)
They have successfully addressed all other positions they wished to strength through Aaron Ramsdale, Malick Thiaw, Anthony Elanga and finally Jacob Ramsey.
Ramsey is a quality footballer who ticks all Howe's boxes. He is only 24 years old yet has plenty of experience making 176 appearances for Aston Villa. Their skipper John McGinn has described him as "always humble, respectful and willing to learn. A top player and person".
Those words will be music to Eddie's ears and underline why he wanted Ramsey so much. Humble, willing to learn, top person . . . throw in genuine talent and that's the identikit of the perfect Howe footballer.
However the summer of 2025 will be judged by history on how the overall centre-forward picture works itself out.