Alan Shearer, a Newcastle United legend, believes that Alexander Isak still has a future at the club despite the ongoing transfer saga and the player's desire to leave. Isak's future at Newcastle has been uncertain this summer, especially with reports of him wanting to move to Liverpool.
Shearer acknowledges the current tension between Isak and the club, but suggests a path for reconciliation. He emphasizes that the situation needs to be resolved quickly, ideally within the next few days, as the transfer window is closing soon.
Shearer's perspective comes amid reports that Isak is at odds with Newcastle, even to the point of refusing to play for them. This follows a rejected £110 million bid from Liverpool and Newcastle's firm stance that they won't sell him for less than £150 million. Isak's discontent reportedly stems from broken promises related to a new contract. It's been suggested that a previous agreement for a new, improved contract was cancelled after Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi sold their stake in the club.
Despite the current issues, Shearer sees a way forward. He believes that if Isak commits his future to Newcastle, the club would be open to discussing a new contract. Shearer also criticized Isak's agent, urging the forward to consider new representation, implying that the agent's advice has not been beneficial.
Adding to the complexity, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe admitted to being in the dark regarding the talks between the club's ownership and Isak. Howe stated his focus remains on preparing players who are committed to playing for Newcastle. He also acknowledged that Isak's quality would be missed, especially after a recent defeat to Liverpool.
Despite the mixed feelings surrounding the situation, Newcastle has issued an update stating that Isak remains under contract and will be welcomed back when he is ready to rejoin his teammates. Newcastle's position is that no promises were made that would allow Isak to leave this summer, and they will only consider a sale if their conditions are met.
Contributing to the discussion, former Sweden international Fredrik Ljungberg expressed shock at Isak's behavior, describing it as out of character. Ljungberg suspects that "something very bad has happened" to cause such a drastic change in Isak's attitude.
Ultimately, while the situation is delicate, Shearer's comments suggest that a future for Isak at Newcastle is still possible, provided that the player is willing to reconcile and recommit to the club. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether a resolution can be reached before the transfer window closes.