‘Newcastle have shot themselves in the foot with Alexander Isak’ amid Amanda Staveley reveal
Newcastle United have shot themselves in the foot regarding Alexander Isak’s desire to leave this summer.
The Sweden international has made it abundantly clear that he wants to join Liverpool before the end of the transfer window.
Isak refused to join Newcastle on their pre-season tour of Asia, instead training alone at former club Real Sociedad.
Liverpool have reportedly agreed personal terms with the 25-year-old, but have not yet had a bid accepted by the Magpies.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Newcastle could have avoided the whole situation.
‘Newcastle changed Isak contract offer’
This article contains exclusive comment from Keith Wyness, former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen CEO.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that Isak is unhappy because he was promised an improved contract, but it never came.
Former sporting director Paul Mitchell, who was only in his role for a year, reportedly failed to deliver on the promise.
Wyness added that Isak won’t be leaving unless Newcastle bring in a replacement striker.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “It’s been self-inflicted to a degree with Paul Mitchell changing the contract offer to Isak that apparently had been offered by Amanda Staveley.
“If Isak had his hopes built up, which is the way that they’re portraying it in the media, then it’s certainly self-inflicted, so they’ve not really been in a strong position to play hardball with the player.
“It’s a delicate one. We are talking about an asset that could be the biggest price of any player this window and will break records. So it’s interesting. I think that Newcastle have decided pretty much that he’s going to have to go, but they’ve got to get that replacement in otherwise he won’t.
“How they’ve handled it, a lot of it seems to be self-inflicted. So there’s not much you can do if you’ve made that sort of error. You can’t suddenly start playing hardball.
“I think that they’ve got to treat him with kid gloves at the moment because if he’s there in the new season, they’re going to have to work with him. Eddie Howe knows that, so I don’t think there’s been any point in making things worse.”
Newcastle eye Chelsea attacker
Meanwhile, Newcastle have set their sights on a deal for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson after Man United beat them to Benjamin Sesko’s signature.
The Blues have slapped an initial £80m asking price on Jackson, however, sparking doubts about whether Newcastle will be prepared to match that fee.
This comes after former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the Red Devils walked away from signing Jackson after learning of the price tag.
The Magpies are one of five clubs eyeing the Chelsea striker in the closing stages of the transfer window as he is now expected to leave Stamford Bridge.
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