Newcastle United have confirmed they do not expect to see Alexander Isak leave the club this summer.
Isak wants to leave Newcastle and join Liverpool, who are yet to bid again after having their opening offer rejected earlier this summer.
It’s a messy situation but Newcastle continue to insist that they do not see Isak leaving.
Quite how the striker returns to the fold is up for debate. Supporters are in open revolt against him and his public statement about “broken promises” is unlikely to have gone down well behind the scenes.
There have been suggestions all summer that Liverpool do not want to pay £150million for Isak.
Clearly, that could still change but even paying that figure wouldn’t necessarily allow him to leave as Newcastle would also need to sign replacements. Despite chasing strikers all summer, they are yet to actually land one.
Liverpool value Isak at around £120million, with their opening bid thought to have been around £110million.
Pundit Simon Jordan has hit back.
Alexander Isak celebrates scoring for Newcastle United against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Simon Jordan slams Liverpool over Alexander Isak
Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan suggested no one should really care about how much Liverpool value Isak at.
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It is not their decision to make. If they do not believe he is worth the money Newcastle are asking for, then perhaps it’s time to move on.
Jordan suggested that there was indeed a way in which Isak could leave Newcastle, just that Liverpool are not prepared to meet their demands.
“He can get out [of the club],” he said.
“But Liverpool don’t want to pay the price. Liverpool value him at £110million. Who cares what you value him for?’
When Alexander Isak will be allowed to leave Newcastle United
Newcastle will not stand in Isak’s way if he wants to leave in 2026, and were reportedly even prepared to give him a new contract which included a release clause.
That would surely have virtually guaranteed an exit next summer, as long as he got his act together on the pitch.
This is not about denying Isak the move of his dreams. It’s about not being bullied into a sale when the conditions are not right for Newcastle.
By moving for potential replacements, they were perhaps showing they were ready to engage.
Now, however, it looks to have gone too far. Isak can leave Newcastle but it will be on their terms.
If Liverpool aren’t even willing to reach his valuation anyway, then it’s starting to feel like a lot of fuss for nothing.