Funny kind of disaster at Newcastle United
To hear certain Newcastle United fans talk, you’d think the club had just endured a footballing catastrophe of epic proportions. “Disaster,” some are calling it. But let’s take a step back and really examine what has happened since the 2024/25 season came to a close.
And of course, at the heart of it all, you know who we’re talking about: Alexander Isak.
The Swedish striker has dominated the summer 2025 transfer window—not just in conversations among Newcastle United supporters, but across the footballing world. The media frenzy has been relentless. Day after day, fresh headlines, fresh speculation, fresh drama. For the press, it has been a goldmine. For the club and its fans, a headache. But is it really the disaster some would have you believe?
The Alexander Isak Newcastle United story
Let’s rewind the tape. Isak arrived at St James’ Park from Real Sociedad in August 2022, costing Newcastle a club-record £63 million. At the time, critics questioned the fee. After all, he had only managed six league goals in La Liga the previous season. But Eddie Howe and his recruitment team had a vision, and they were proved spectacularly right.
Over the next three years, Isak became one of the Premier League’s most lethal forwards. He started 88 league matches and scored 58 goals—numbers that speak for themselves. Beyond statistics, his influence was immense.
He was central to Newcastle United qualifying for the Champions League twice in three years.
He helped drive the team to two cup finals in the same period.
And most memorably of all, he scored the winning goal that secured Newcastle’s first major trophy in 56 years—a moment that will forever live in the club’s history.
Fast forward to September 2025, and Newcastle sold Isak for a staggering £130 million. Not only was it a record fee for the club, but it also broke the record for the highest sum ever paid by a Premier League side.
Now ask yourself: is that really a disaster? Or is it one of the most successful chapters in Newcastle’s modern history?
Headache, yes. Disaster, no.
Nobody is denying that this saga has been a nuisance. From Isak’s refusal to continue at the club, to the way it disrupted the start of the new campaign, it was far from ideal. Eddie Howe had to manage the fallout, the fans had to endure weeks of speculation, and the player’s attitude left a sour taste.
But let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture. Strip away the drama, take the paracetamol for that headache, and look clearly at what this all means: Newcastle signed a player who helped deliver historic success on the pitch and then sold him for more than double the price they paid.
That is not failure. That is elite-level football business.
Profit and progress
The Isak deal has given Newcastle their biggest ever profit on a single player. In today’s financial landscape, where Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) dictate what clubs can and can’t do in the transfer market, this matters more than ever.
Yes, clubs still need actual cash to complete transfers. Payments are arranged in instalments, and invoices must be settled on specific dates. But when it comes to PSR calculations—where book value, amortisation, and timing of sales come into play—the Isak transfer has provided Newcastle with a huge boost in flexibility.
Put simply, the £130m fee received not only covers the costs of reinforcements like Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa but also opens up much more room for future spending under PSR guidelines. Newcastle now have significant breathing space to continue strengthening the squad in the months and years ahead.
Legacy and perspective
When viewed in full, the Alexander Isak saga is not a story of disaster—it’s a story of success, both on and off the pitch. He gave Newcastle three years of brilliance, memorable goals, and historic milestones. He then left for a record fee that ensures the club can continue building for the future.
Yes, the manner of his departure was frustrating. Yes, his behaviour unsettled the start of the season. But in the grand scheme, Newcastle United emerge from this stronger, not weaker.
The truth is simple: Alexander Isak’s time at Newcastle United will be remembered not as a disaster, but as one of the most profitable and impactful periods in the club’s recent history.
And the benefits? They won’t just stop here. They’ll continue to ripple through the club’s finances, squad building, and ambitions long after the ink has dried on his transfer.