Alan Shearer has urged Alexander Isak to sack his agent over his botched Newcastle United exit plan.
The striker is desperate to move to Liverpool before the transfer window closes on September 1, but it now appears highly unlikely that the transfer will materialize, leaving Isak facing the prospect of either returning for the Magpies with his tail between his legs or sitting out until January at the earliest.
Shearer said: "I mean, oh my God, what a f------ mess his agent has made of this, honestly," Shearer told Betfair. "If I was him, I’d get his agent in a room and sack him on the spot immediately, because he is meant to be giving him the advice to sign that six‑year deal and there’s no get‑out clause.
"I mean, it’s ridiculous. And to take anyone’s word in football… it’s nonsensical to say that someone said, 'Oh, I’ll be able to get out at the end of the season.' Really? I mean, come on."
Isak and Newcastle exchanged statements on the situation on Wednesday — Isak went first, explaining his absence from the PFA awards night in Manchester as he accused Newcastle of "breaking promises" by standing in his way of an exit from the club.
The North East outfit then hit back with a statement of its own, claiming the conditions of a summer sale have not been met.
Shearer addressed Newcastle's statement and, unsurprisingly, came out in support of his boyhood club. "Newcastle have also released a statement saying that promises were not broken, or promises were never made.
"I’ve always said there are two sides to every story, but my feelings are exactly the same: he (Isak) has gone about it in the wrong way.
Isak wants to leave Newcastle
Isak wants to leave Newcastle (Image: Stu Forster, Getty Images)
"I get that he might want to join a huge football club in Liverpool. I understand that, and I understand that they’re regularly going to be competing for trophies.
"But we also need to know, who promised him? What did they promise him? When did they promise him, if that is the case? Newcastle have totally denied that.
"I’d also ask the question, who’s advising him? He signed his six‑year contract without a release clause in it. That is his doing, that is his agent’s doing.
"Now, if they foresaw someone trying to get out early, then before they signed that they were in a really strong position. They should have had a get‑out clause in it. That would be my take on it.
"Everything sort of boils down to: I think he’s being given bad advice and the way he’s going about it is wrong, I really do."