Andy Carroll on Alexander Isak situation.placeholder image
Andy Carroll on Alexander Isak situation. | Getty Images
Andy Carroll left Newcastle United to join Liverpool for a club record sale back in 2011 - now Alexander Isak in looking to do the same.
Carroll joined Liverpool for £35million in January 2011 after an impressive half-season at Newcastle back in the Premier League.
The striker had progressed through the club’s academy to be given the iconic No. 9 shirt, scoring 11 Premier League goals in 19 appearances during the 2010/11 campaign before making the switch to Merseyside.
The £35million sale remains a club record for Newcastle 14 years on. Elliot Anderson was also sold for that fee to Nottingham Forest last summer, though with Odysseas Vlachodimos heading in the opposite direction for £20million, it is viewed more as a PSR swap compared to Carroll’s standalone transfer.
Now, Newcastle could lose their star striker to Liverpool for a club record fee once again. The Reds have already had a £110million bid for Isak rejected by The Magpies.
While Liverpool are planning to return with a fresh bid, they would need encouragement from Newcastle’s end first which won’t come unless they are able to sign a suitable replacement first. With less than two weeks of the transfer window remaining, the situation hangs in the balance.
Isak has removed himself from Newcastle’s first team for the past month, playing no part in the pre-season matches or the opening game draw at Aston Villa on Saturday, leading to a club fine.
Andy Carroll discusses Alexander Isak & Liverpool situation
Given Carroll has experienced leaving Newcastle as the club’s star striker to join Liverpool in a record transfer sale, he was asked about Isak’s situation on Sky Sports.
But the Geordie, who is now playing for Dagenham & Redbridge at age 36, was quick to point out the differences in his situation and Isak’s.
“For me personally, being from Newcastle, it was one of those things where I didn't really want to leave, didn't want to go, and it was a tough one when I did go,” he said. “But for Isak, he's not from Newcastle, so he can do and act how he's acting now, and think it's acceptable.
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“For me, I never acted any way I wanted to stay, and it's a big move for him. The way he's playing his cards at the minute, the Newcastle fans are not going to back him, he's not going to help himself, which is a shame really because he's such a good player, and every Newcastle fan wants him to stay, the manager wants him to stay, and it's just a shame really how he's acting.
“I think if I were at a club that wasn't my home and looked up to and wanted to play for all my life [I’d want to leave].”
Reflecting on his move to Liverpool, Carroll added: “It was a transfer window the last day and it was just quickly going and that was it really.
“It was something that was really hard for me to be honest, but this move here that he can take, it's not really the same as me because it's not his club.
“The Geordies did take him in and made him one of their own, but when he wants to go, that's his mind changed.”
Andy Carroll’s feelings on NUFC move disputed by former teammate
In a recent interview on The Fozcast, former Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul claimed Carroll was ‘fuming’ that Liverpool’s initial transfer bid for him was rejected by the club.
Krul said: “Mike Ashley rejected £30million for [Carroll], he was going nuts, he left the gym fuming.”
Carroll responded to the claim by commenting on Instagram: “Well, that’s a lie.”
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