Alexander Isak and Newcastle United: The telling final 37 words
Newcastle United's announcement of Alexander Isak's British-record transfer to Liverpool was telling as the club closed the book on a challenging summer.
Newcastle United fans were able to relive the club’s Carabao Cup success before Liverpool’s visit to St James’ Park last month.
Thousands visited the excellent NUFC: The Road to Wembley exhibition at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art on the Quayside.
The club’s historic success was charted in words, photographs and artwork, and fans could also pose with the trophy, jubilantly lifted by Bruno Guimaraes and his team-mates at Wembley after a 2-1 win over Liverpool in March.
And the bus which had carried the team through packed streets to a memorable celebration on the Town Moor was parked outside the Baltic.
At Wembley, the match-winner had been Alexander Isak, the striker scoring what turned out to be the goal which ended the club’s 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.
Isak was the hero that day, as he had been many times before then in his career. Selling him this summer had been unthinkable to fans and owners alike.
Yet today 25-year-old is a zero, not a hero, on Tyneside, with his historic goal seemingly forgotten.
And many supporters welcomed his deadline day departure to Premier League champions Liverpool for a British-record fee.
Isak could have been remembered by supporters for that Wembley goal – and many other memorable strikes – but instead he will always be known as the player who actually went on strike to force a move away from the club.
In his first Liverpool interview, Isak – who had been training alone at Newcastle – said that he “couldn’t wait to get started” at his new club.
Supporters on Tyneside will not forget how it ended for him at United.
In an farewell message posted on Instagram, Isak also spoke of his “gratitude” to his former team-mates, the club’s staff and the city of Newcastle.
Transfer stance
Eddie Howe, of course, had hoped to keep Isak, a player the club did not need to sell to stay within domestic and European financial fair play rules, and the club’s head coach has handled a very difficult situation very well.
One of the most important things for Howe is squad unity. His team has been united in more than just name during his time as Newcastle manager, and maintaining this unity is a priority for Howe.
The Isak situation, clearly, went past the point of no return ahead of the transfer deadline, and the club, which had reacted strongly Isak’s explanation of his situation, about had to get the best fee possible, and sign replacements for him and Callum Wilson, before the summer window closed.
United negotiated a fee of around £125million for Isak, and signed Yoane Wissa, the club’s new No.9, and Nick Woltemade from Brentford and VfB Stuttgart respectively.
The club has done good business during the most challenging of windows.
Millions of words have most likely been written about Isak since it emerged that he wanted to leave in July, but Newcastle confirmed his departure with a curt, 37-word statement which did not even mention the goals he had scored for the club in his 109 appearances.
“Newcastle United can announce the sale of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a significant British record transfer fee.
“The Sweden international joined the Magpies from Real Sociedad in 2022 and made 109 appearances in all competitions.”
There was no “good luck” message for a player who had disrupted pre-season, and, arguably, cost the club points in the opening three games.
The contrast with the fulsome club statement which had announced Sean Longstaff’s move to Leeds United earlier in the summer could not have been greater.
Newcastle, rightly, thanked” the homegrown midfielder for his “outstanding contribution” to the club – and “wished him well for the future”.
Cup-winning goal
Isak’s contribution had also been outstanding up to the Carabao Cup win, but his actions this summer angered the same fans who had worshipped him. His most important act on the pitch was scoring that all-important goal at Wembley, but supporters will remember how he acted off the field after deciding his future lay elsewhere.
The Sweden international, signed for £60million from Real Sociedad three years ago, had established himself as a world-class striker thanks to Howe, his staff and his team-mates.
Isak also said in his first Liverpool interview that he wanted to “create history” at the club.
Howe, of course, has created something very special at St James’ Park since taking charge, and he can create more history this season with a stronger, and fully united, squad.