The Alexander Isak transfer saga has taken another twist as the Newcastle United and Liverpool saga has spread to the WWE.
With the Magpies taking on Liverpool at St James’ Park on Monday evening, the atmosphere is expected to be electric.
It is the first meeting between the two clubs since the Carabao Cup final in March, but a lot has happened since then. Liverpool want to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, but Eddie Howe is still hopeful that the striker will stay at the club past the transfer deadline on September 1.
Newcastle want to sign a new striker, but with a week to go until the window shuts, it is looking unlikely.
In the meantime, Newcastle fans were hoping to take their minds off the transfer saga by attending a WWE Live event on Tyneside last week, but wrestler JD McDonagh had other plans.
Alexander Isak during an FA Cup game between Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
WWE star wears Liverpool shirt with Alexander Isak’s name in Newcastle
Arne Slot does not have sympathy for Howe, with the Liverpool boss believing Newcastle’s squad is good enough without Isak. That same opinion appears to be shared by McDonagh, who put his bad guy character to use at the Utilita Arena on Sunday.
McDonagh was part of the main event for the WWE Live event, where during the match he revealed a Liverpool shirt. Upon turning around, the back of the shirt read ISAK 9.
The move was met by a chorus of boos from the Newcastle crowd, and fellow WWE star CM Punk got into the ring to try and rip the shirt off, only to be held back by the referee.
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The hope internally is that Isak can return to Newcastle first-team training this week and that the whole saga can be forgotten about. However, Isak has made it clear that he wants to leave Newcastle after claims that promises have been broken.
This is not the first time wrestling has crossed over with Newcastle. Earlier this year, a fan was spotted with a Joelinton sign at a WWE taping in Glasgow, and an AEW star was spotted wearing a Newcastle hoodie during a live show.
It is clear that the Isak situation has spread further than just Newcastle and Liverpool. The saga is a story that has spread throughout the Premier League and beyond.
Many pundits have given their view on Isak’s intention to leave Newcastle, even in places like the USA. On an ESPN show, Shaka Hislop called Isak ‘ridiculous’ for his statement and questioned why he has acted the way he has.
The move by McDonagh only expands the story to other areas, with fans of different sports now becoming aware of Isak’s intentions to leave.