Senior BBC Sport reporter and commentator Ian Dennis, has been discussing “spoilt child” Alexander Isak ahead of Monday night’s clash between Newcastle and Liverpool at St James’ Park.
Dennis claimed Isak has handled his transfer rollercoaster ‘like a teenager’, with the Tuesday night statement and lack of transfer request showing his true colours.
Alexander Isak has been engineering a move away from the club to Liverpool, burning every bridge in the process. He refused to join his teammates in any of Newcastle’s pre-season games, including the tour of Asia, citing a thigh injury, then ditched club staff for that of his old team Real Sociedad.
Dennis points out the obvious flaw in Isak’s masterplan to move away, the fact he hasn’t handed in a formal transfer request. The veteran commentator explains that the Swede would lose all of the financial bonuses of leaving without formally asking for it, assuming it’s loyalty bonuses and instalments of his signing-on fee.
He told his Football Daily counterparts he expects the move to happen for around £130m, but it may not be that simple given Newcastle are adamant £150m+, along with two strikers are the minimum requirements to sanction a late sale before next Monday’s deadline.
_“Alexander Isak has behaved like a spoilt child and I think he wants his cake and he wants to eat it,”_ he said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s [Commentator’s View](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0lyhn3t).
_“I think he’s shown a great level of disrespect to Newcastle United and, in particular, the supporters who’ve idolised him. He’s tarnished his reputation._
_“I can’t understand, if he wants the move as badly as it would appear, why has he not handed in a transfer request? And we know the reasons why, because of the financial ramifications that he would forsake if that was to happen._
_“But I just think that he’s been badly advised and I wouldn’t at all be surprised if after that (Newcastle v Liverpool) game, he goes for somewhere in the region of £130m, that the deal is done. I just, I can’t see a way for him to stay. I think it would be irretrievable now._
_“The situation after his statement and what Newcastle have said, if it doesn’t happen, but I think it will, but if it doesn’t happen, then good luck with trying to reintegrate him back into the squad!”_
The supporters would take an almighty amount of convincing after being betrayed and cast aside, and his fellow teammates aren’t pleased with his actions either.
Craig Hope reported last week that parts of the dressing room are split on the Isak situation, suggesting some understand his stance while others are angered by his inflammatory actions.
Eddie Howe, in part, defended him in Friday’s presser and offered a route back if he gives his all, and the club statement last week echoed that message, stating “Alex remains a part of our family, and will be welcomed back when he is ready to join his teammates.”