Alexander Isak to Liverpool transfer latest as Michael Owen at odds with fellow pundits

Latest Liverpool transfer news as Alexander Isak remains the focus of pundits such as Alan Shearer, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney

Ahead of Liverpool’s visit to Newcastle United only one man has been the talk of both cities – Alexander Isak. The striker is the beating heart of a summer transfer saga that is threatening to go all the way down to deadline day.

During pre-season it emerged Isak was set on leaving Newcastle, who rejected a £110 million offer from Liverpool before the new Premier League campaign began. Throughout the process the 25-year-old has been told to train alone and has not played for Eddie Howe’s team in any capacity.

This reached boiling point when Isak released a statement saying ‘change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself’, making his stance toward leaving public in the process.

READ MORE: Gini Wijnaldum fires back on Alexander Isak transfer saga after Liverpool interestREAD MORE: Ryan Gravenberch sends Premier League title warning as Liverpool dressing room view emerges

His message prompted an emphatic response from those close to him, fans and pundits alike. Among the latter have been some huge names to comment on the situation.

Here, the ECHO gathers the opinions of some of those prominent figures in the media…

Alan Shearer

The Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer has been the most vocal pundit about Isak’s intent to leave Newcastle. Shearer scored 206 of his 374 career strikes for his boyhood club and has remained devoted to them ever since.

A big part of Shearer’s commentary on the saga has been about Isak and his representatives not negotiating a release clause into the six-year contract he signed upon his arrival to St. James’ Park in 2022.

“It’s a sad situation,” the 55-year-old told The Rest Is Football podcast. “I was gobsmacked at his statement. He felt, or his representatives felt, it was best putting something out. But that was just adding fuel to the fire.

“It was just bizarre, to say that someone had agreed [to let him leave in the summer] verbally, with him or his agent. You’re in football for goodness’ sake. I would have a look at the agent, if I was him, to say why on Earth are you advising me to sign, or letting me sign, a six-year contract without any get-out clause? That’s what I’d be saying – you need something in writing.

“When you’re in a strong position, as he was, when they were paying 60-odd million pounds for him, on a six-year deal, and there’s no get-out clause, you all know as well as I do, we’ve all been in the game long enough, you can’t just accept [verbal promises].

“And by the way, who was it [that made the promise]? What did they say? And when did they say it? That would be the next questions… but you can’t just say, ‘okay, at the end of the next season, then we might perhaps agree to let you go verbally.’ Football doesn’t work like that.”

Michael Owen

One striker with experience playing for both Liverpool and Newcastle is Michael Owen. He actually hasn’t condemned Isak for his actions trying to force a way out of Tyneside, which stands out from the views of others in the media.

Owen told Chronicle Live via 247 Bet: “He’s laid his cards on the table, hasn’t he? It’s quite clear that he wants to move.

“Whether Newcastle fans would forgive and forget is a big question. I don’t know. I mean, he’s done exceptionally well for them, you know, they’ve won a trophy, they’re into the Champions League.

“He’s done his side of the bargain quite clearly by his statement. He feels like that’s enough and that they’ve had previous chats which suggest that he’s almost not free to leave but, you know, if certain things were done then he might be free to go, but it doesn’t seem like Newcastle are playing that game.

Owen added: “This whole scenario is an interesting one because nine times out of 10 when a move comes about it’s normally a club forcing a player and nobody’s bothered, nobody says anything despite any kids that are in school or any families that have settled in an area or anything else like that.

“Nobody cares really about a footballer. But when it’s on the other foot, it’s really interesting to see that everybody, you know, the whole world goes into meltdown and how dare somebody try and force a move through? I’m not going to sit here and criticise Isak.

“I wouldn’t have done that myself in terms of the actions he’s taken, but I do get that he’s a great player that wants to get to the top of his game and he’s obviously not being allowed the move that he’s desperate for. And you get one short career and he’s wanting to join probably the best team in the world at the moment.

“I get it from his point of view. It’s just a sad situation when it’s played out in the world’s press and he’s obviously not coming out well, let’s say, from a reputational point of view.”

Wayne Rooney

Former Everton, Manchester United and England forward Wayne Rooney is among those who feel Isak could have handled matters differently.

“I think it’s a difficult one with Isak. He has to go about it the right way,” he said on his first appearance since becoming a regular pundit on BBC’s Match of the Day.

“There’s ways of leaving a football club, whether that’s the football club wants to get rid of you and if you want to leave to go to a different club, there’s a right way to do it.

“I’ve been there myself where I’ve asked to leave Manchester United in my career, at times.

“You have to do it the right way and be professional about it.”

Posing a worry for the Reds, the 39-year-old asked: “Also for the team whose trying to sign him, obviously it looks like Liverpool whose trying to sign him, you have to wonder if that’s the sort of player you want? [A player] who is going to desert his teammates, who’s going to walk away from a huge football club.

“It’s a good opportunity with Liverpool, but it has to be done in the right way, I don’t think it is.”