Eddie Howe’s response revealed to claim Alexander Isak downed tools at Newcastle last season
Alexander Isak didn’t lose the faith of Eddie Howe despite telling Newcastle United that he wanted to leave last season, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have said about the fallout of Isak’s £125million move to Liverpool.
Liverpool finally completed their British record move for Isak on deadline day to comfortably become the biggest spenders of the summer window, breaking their own record for the second time in just 73 days.
Isak made his desire to leave St. James’ Park for Anfield very, very public over the course of the summer, but the Sweden striker said he was “forever grateful” to Newcastle after his exit was finally confirmed.
Suggestions have since been raised that Isak did his best to ensure that Newcastle didn’t qualify for the Champions League – making his path to Liverpool clearer – but those allegations have been rubbished.
Sources have told Football Insider that Eddie Howe would have dropped Isak from his squad altogether if he had any inclination of this, and Isak netted 23 Premier League goals on the way to qualification.
Football Insider sources have stated that no drop in professional standards was detected before Isak went on strike this summer, but acknowledged that the atmosphere at Newcastle would have soured if he didn’t complete that “dream move” to Liverpool.
Alexander Isak still did his ‘utmost’ to aid Newcastle cause
Finance expert Dr Dan Plumley told Football Insider that Isak and Yoane Wissa have set a dangerous precedent, after both players did down tools to force respective transfers to Liverpool and Newcastle.
Speaking on the new Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke was asked if Howe or anyone else in a position of power at Newcastle had picked up on an alleged fall in standard by Isak towards the end of last season.
“If that was the case, I don’t think Eddie Howe would have been picking him in his team if he’d noticed that [Isak] wasn’t doing his utmost to help Newcastle”, he told Football Insider.
“It didn’t show, he helped Newcastle qualify for the Champions League in the end, so why wasn’t something said at the time?
“It’s a difficult one, you really wouldn’t want to question somebody’s motivation or character really.
“It was probably the best solution for everybody – Newcastle got the big fee that they wanted, Isak got his dream move to Liverpool.
“Liverpool got the deal done with a fee they were happy with and Newcastle, just for the good of the atmosphere at the club, it was best that Isak moved on and Newcastle can now look forward to life without him.”
Newcastle’s season starts now after Alexander Isak transfer saga
Although Isak didn’t actively try and hinder Newcastle’s progress last season, his continued absence from the first-time picture this summer has arguably stunted their start to the new campaign so far.
Howe’s side are yet to win a match and have recorded two 0-0 draws either side of a 3-2 home loss to none other than Liverpool, and all three came with either Anthony Gordon or William Osula up front.
The signings of Wissa and Nick Woltemade will give Newcastle the presence that has been lacking without Isak, and Howe will hope that his two new additions can make up for what has been lost in that long-running transfer saga.