JUST IN: Alexander Isak issued with stern Newcastle United transfer warning amid Liverpool interest
Former Newcastle Boss Sam Allardyce Issues Stern Verdict on Alexander Isak’s Transfer Standoff
Former Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce has waded into the ongoing saga surrounding Alexander Isak, delivering a blunt assessment of the Swedish striker’s situation and advising the Magpies on how to handle the growing dispute.
Isak’s future at St. James’ Park has been the subject of intense speculation throughout the summer, with the forward seemingly intent on engineering a move away from the club. While the 24-year-old has stopped short of submitting an official transfer request, reports suggest he has privately communicated his desire not to play for Eddie Howe’s side again.
His absence from Newcastle’s preparations for the 2025/26 season has only fuelled tensions. Initially ruled out of pre-season action with a thigh injury, Isak has since been omitted from Howe’s plans for the upcoming Premier League opener against Aston Villa. The Newcastle boss is reportedly unwilling to select him while his future remains unresolved, raising fears that the standoff could overshadow the team’s early-season momentum.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Allardyce made no secret of what he would do if he were still in charge of Newcastle. His advice was direct:
> “Sell him. I’d sell him, I’d go for the best price. Once a player makes his mind up as determined as he is, there’s nothing else you can do in your role. If he stays away, the only thing you do is don’t pay him — but then it becomes a situation where nobody wins.”
Newcastle have already demonstrated their reluctance to let their star striker leave easily, rejecting a British-record £110 million bid from reigning champions Liverpool nearly two weeks ago. The Reds have yet to return with an improved offer, leaving Isak’s future in limbo.
For Allardyce, the issue runs deeper than one player’s desire to move on. The 70-year-old believes clubs must push back against footballers who attempt to force their way out despite being tied to lengthy deals. Isak’s current contract runs until 2028, giving Newcastle considerable leverage — if they choose to use it.
> “Unless the board are strong enough to say, ‘Let him rot, Sam, we’ll go and buy another centre-forward’ — which, in my opinion, is the best way to deal with it — somebody has to stand up to players who start doing this on a regular basis,” Allardyce said.
“You’ve got contracts. In Isak’s case, a particularly long one with three years left. The owners don’t want to devalue him, but you also can’t let players treat clubs like this after committing to a deal.”
However, even Allardyce admits that Newcastle face a huge challenge if they choose to cash in on their No. 14. Top-class centre-forwards are in short supply, and replacing Isak could prove almost impossible in the current market.
> “The problem is, where do you find the centre-forward?” he asked. “Look how long it’s taken Arsenal to find one! At the moment, I don’t think there’s anyone in the Premier League they can buy who’s better than Isak. That’s Newcastle’s problem. They’re playing in the Champions League and the Premier League — finding someone to match him is nearly impossible.”
For Newcastle, the Isak saga is a double-edged sword: keeping an unhappy player risks dressing-room harmony and public perception, while selling him could leave the squad without a world-class goalscorer at a time when the club is striving to compete on multiple fronts.
With the transfer window still open, the next few weeks could define not only Isak’s future but also Newcastle’s ambitions for the season ahead.