This isn't the first time that Liverpool transfer target and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has dug in his heels and attempted to force a move away
Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak is facing an agonising wait over his future
Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak is facing an agonising wait over his future
(Image: Getty)
Alexander Isak is no stranger when it comes to trying to force through transfers.
The Swedish forward is making it clear he wishes to no longer continue at Newcastle United, with Liverpool still attempting to conjure up their own plan to sign him before the summer window closes.
Arne Slot's side have already seen a bid worth £110m rejected for the striker, with some suggesting that FSG may return with a second offer in the next week.
But this isn't the first time Isak has dug in his heels and refused to play for his current club.
When he left Borussia Dortmund for Real Sociedad, Isak made it clear he wouldn't be returning to the Westfalenstadion, even though the Bundesliga side held a buy-back clause.
"I have no intention of going back there," he said in 2020. "All I can say is that Dortmund is in my past and not in my future. I feel very comfortable where I am and have no intention of going back there. My only focus now is Real Sociedad."
After failing to find any form in Germany, it was over in Spain where Isak enjoyed his breakout spell, scoring 44 goals in 132 games, whilst also winning the Copa del Rey.
Unsurprisingly, talk of a return to Dortmund surfaced that following summer, yet Isak was clear in his intentions: he wasn't going back.
Newcastle have run into the same problem this year, with the 25-year-old not only making his intentions clear but also going to extreme lengths to force through a transfer.
On Tuesday, he escalated matters further, dropping a bombshell statement on Instagram declaring that his relationship with Newcastle "cannot continue."
The club, though, are showing plenty of Isak-esque resolve. Just hours later, Newcastle issued a firm retaliatory statement, doubling down on their not-for-sale stance and insisting that the former Dortmund man will be reintegrated into the squad once his self-imposed exile ends.
Liverpool have indicated that they won't bid again unless Newcastle soften their demands, leaving the saga shrouded in uncertainty, with just over a week left until the deadline slams shut.
Having seemingly burned bridges with both his employers and the supporters, Isak is expected to keep pushing for a move to Anfield. With the Magpies standing firm and unwilling to be pressured into a cut-price sale, the prospect of a deal being struck is diminishing, and fast.
Throughout his career, Isak has rarely been one to back down. But with three years still to run on his St James' Park contract - and Newcastle showing no inclination to compromise - he may find this is the battle he cannot win.