‘I hate it’ – Stan Collymore reacts after Alexander Isak statement, says agent should be sacked
Alexander Isak has been told he needs to fire his agent after the explosive statement he put out about his Newcastle situation.
Amid the PFA Premier League 2024-25 awards, there was certain name on everyone’s lips as to who may or may not turn up: Isak.
The Swede was nominated for last season’s team of the season, including Mohamed Salah who boldly stated that Arsenal are favourites for the title.
During the evening Isak dropped a bombshell statement providing a significant update on his Newcastle situation amid ongoing links with Liverpool.
Former Red Stan Collymore has now responded to the number 14’s fiery words as he gave his thoughts on the saga that does not seem to want to end.
Alexander Isak wants to ‘have his cake and eat it’
Taking to X (19 August) the ex-England international delivered a damming set of words in response to the developments with Newcastle’s prize possession.
In a lengthy post, Collymore said: “A lot to unpack. Firstly, he’s [Isak] under contract, one he willingly signed.
“Secondly, and I’ve experienced this as have a million players, I think he’s alluding to (on signing that contract) the old ‘do well and if someone offers £80million for you we’ll let you go’.
“[The] Answer to this of course is a buy out clause that both parties should maybe have entered into.
“Thirdly, he’s doing something every modern (and I hate it) player does. [He] Won’t take the very old school route of transfer request as it means giving up a large chunk of bonus/loyalty/salary.
“In short, modern players want to leave, be paid on leaving and on signing for a new club. Cake meets eating it.
“If Newcastle said to him and his agent a year ago ‘we’ll let him go if he has a great season’ but it wasn’t written down, tough on Isak.
“If the player wants to leave but doesn’t want to go on the transfer list, then that’s the player wanting that cake and eating it.
“If he’s desperate to leave, put in a request, that alerts every club on earth of his availability (if Newcastle accept it, and that should because no club wants a player who doesn’t want to stay publicly/officially) he forfeits some cash but he’s outta there pronto.
“Newcastle can play hardball and make him fulfil his contractual obligations but they’ll lose money month on month plus they’ll need a replacement who does want to play for Newcastle.
“I’d sack the agent if I’d received the advice he has, because his contract didn’t have a ‘if you do well you can go at £xxxx’, he’s basically been out of action for a couple of weeks (what’s the agent doing to get him and club to agree an exit strategy???).
“An agent several weeks in should advise pulling the transfer list rip cord (‘you’re going to lose some dough but your next club will make it up’) etc etc.
“And any public statement can be used in any tribunal against the player do advise him to keep it shut.
“P*** poor agent work, naive player, “possible” reneged (pure speculation at this point) on [the] handshake by [the] club, a football transfer room 101 in how not to handle a febrile situation.”
Newcastle in a lose-lose situation with Alexander Isak
Football Insider verdict
Whilst Collymore eluded to some definitely relevant points over the rise of player power in the modern era of football, the Magpies are now being backed into a corner.
Firstly, by staying firm and not selling the Sweden international, the Toon are tying up significant funds in a player who is refusing to play for the club.
Eddie Howe desperately needs reinforcements and by not offloading Isak he is shooting himself in the foot, preventing any money coming in to reinvest in a tired looking squad.
| Alexander Isak 2024-25 all competitions | |
| Appearances | 42 |
| Minutes played | 3,319 |
| Goals | 27 |
| Assists | 6 |
Secondly, the Reds will be licking their lips at the prospect of the former Real Sociedad striker’s price dropping over the coming months if he continues not to play.
Imaginably, the Toon will not be able to afford to maintain a high price in the coming transfer windows for an attacker who is collecting dust by not playing; they’ll have to sell him.
Where Howe and the Newcastle board turn to now is definitely unclear, but with still two weeks until the end of August, this is certainly not the last we’ve heard of the saga of the summer.