Newcastle United & Alexander Isak Have Drawn Battle Lines

Here we are then, the point of no return. There can be no more pretending, briefing or hiding. Newcastle United and Alexander Isak are in civil war, and now it is in the public domain for everyone to see and judge.

This has been the story of the summer, and not just on Tyneside. Premier League champion Liverpool has been interested in Isak and has seen one offer rejected for the Sweden striker. Having reaffirmed his happiness at Newcastle publicly as recently as March, the club was steadfast in its belief he would not be sold and would not agitate for a move away.

Now it is late August and Isak is well beyond agitation. He refused to join Newcastle on its pre-season tour of Asia, has not returned to training since and missed the draw with Aston Villa on Saturday. At just before 9pm BST (4pm EST) on Tuesday, he made a statement for the first time, on Instagram.

“I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken,” he wrote.

“That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.

“The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.

“When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue. That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”

It is not clear what promises Isak is referring to. Newcastle reportedly reneged on the offer of a new contract over a year ago, which sparked discontent from Isak and his agents, who believe, fairly, that he is worth an increase on his £120,000 ($162,000) per-week wages.

Having not received a raise after scoring 26 goals last season, including in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, he is now unwilling to agree terms, after Newcastle shelved talks until the end of last season.

Yet Isak’s camp say he told the club it would be his final season beforehand, which has been denied. There were no suggestions to that effect at the time, but Newcastle has reacted over the summer to facilitate a move on its terms; the £150m ($203m) price, which had been briefed as a minimum in order to deter interested parties, is now seen as a hard valuation.

The irony of Isak’s stance on broken promises when he is not adhering to a written promise of his own, his contract which runs until 2028, is not lost on Newcastle fans. Surely if any promise was made, his camp would have insisted upon it being put in writing, too.

Signing a replacement of suitable quality, on top of a second striker to replace the departed Callum Wilson, was the other requirement of the bargain. Attempts to sign Hugo Ekitike – whose switch to Liverpool has further complicated Isak’s future – and Benjamin Sesko failed, and there is a sense that has put an end to the search.

Newcastle’s response to Isak’s statement suggests as such, and though insiders at the club have felt a degree of sympathy for the player, believing him to have been badly advised, the club went public with its disappointment, and on the attack too.

“We are clear in response that Alex remains under contract and that no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer,” the club said.

“We want to keep our best players, but we also understand players have their own wishes and we listen to their views.

“As explained to Alex and his representatives, we must always take into consideration the best interests of Newcastle United, the team and our supporters in all decisions and we have been clear that the conditions of a sale this summer have not transpired.

“We do not foresee those conditions being met.”

Newcastle stops short of saying Isak will not leave, and in turn looks to pressurize Liverpool into matching its valuation. Having intimated a willingness to pay £120m ($162m) in July, the Reds then officially bid £110m ($148m) at the beginning of August. It was rejected immediately, and Arne Slot’s team won’t return to the table until Newcastle offers encouragement. Does this statement constitute that? Liverpool will need to make that call.

But Newcastle’s need for a replacement is the defining factor, and that is why the signing of Ekitike is curious. Had everybody sat down and discussed terms when Liverpool made its interest in Isak clear in July, as Newcastle negotiated with Ekitike, Isak may have got his move. The plan was to pair Isak and Ekitike together, but privately, it was understood to be a stronger bargaining position when Liverpool stepped up for Isak.

Where does Liverpool’s interest really stand, though? Is it an opportunity, or a necessity? To sign Isak, with three years remaining on his contract at St James’ Park, was always going to be difficult and not achievable without full focus.

But Newcastle are not blameless. Without the boardroom structure to fully negotiate, it is hard for the club to sell Isak and emerge from a position of strength or prove to the player the project he signed up for is possible. The worst of both worlds.

Where do Alexander Isak and Newcastle United go from here?

For all the anger and talk of relationships breaking down, the most obvious route from here is Isak reintegrating into the squad. Two words in Isak’s statement suggest he could step back from the edge: “right now”.

This is how Isak feels at a point where he senses he can force through the Liverpool move. After the transfer window shuts, if he is still a Newcastle player, there is scope for his mind to change. There was no mention of the reported threat to never play for the club again.

Newcastle’s approach is also clear from its statement. It rails against accusations of unfairness, showing it has tried to find a solution that suits. Come September when Liverpool is no longer an option, it wants to be able to reason with Isak that he was listened to and remains valued.

It has all gone public and turned messy, but even now, Newcastle United and Alexander Isak can come through this together, though not in the way either would have hoped.