Alexander Isak transfer saga explained with 'broken trust' behind toxic storm

Irish Daily Mirror

9 hours ago

Alan Shearer has urged Alexander Isak to "sack his agent on the spot" for giving him "bad advice".
Isak has been at the heart of this summer's most bitter transfer row as he seeks to depart Newcastle United and join Premier League champions Liverpool.
The 25 year old Swede has made his position crystal clear to the Magpies that he has no desire to feature at St. James' Park this campaign.
This resulted in him being omitted from the squad for their opening Premier League fixture against Aston Villa, which finished 0-0.
Newcastle turned down a £110million offer from Liverpool earlier this month, reports the Mirror.
At present, they remain steadfast in their position, refusing to consider any bids beneath their £150million valuation of the striker, who remains tied to the club until 2028.
Isak penned a six-year contract, without a release clause inserted, when he signed for Newcastle in 2022. And on Tuesday night, he broke his silence on the matter, insisting "promises have been broken" and "trust has been lost" between the club and player.
That indicates the forward feels he was given some kind of assurance – either regarding a bumper new contract or being allowed to leave for a lesser fee. However, Magpies legend Shearer believes Isak was naïve to rest his hopes on a supposed 'gentleman's agreement' in the first place, before slamming his agent, Vlado Lemic, for not inserting a release clause in his contract in the first place.
A frustrated Shearer told Betfair: "I mean, oh my God, what a f***ing mess his agent has made of this, honestly. If I was him [Isak], I'd get his agent in a room and sack him on the spot immediately, because he is meant to be giving him the advice to sign that six‐year deal and there's no get‐out clause.
"I mean, it's ridiculous. And to take anyone's word in football... it's nonsensical to say that someone said, 'Oh, I'll be able to get out at the end of the season.' Really? I mean, come on."
Reports claim the Newcastle talisman was promised a bumper new contract by Amanda Staveley, but she and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi sold their stake in the club to the Saudi Public Investment Fund in July 2024. It is reported that Paul Mitchell, who later joined as the club's sporting director, immediately cancelled talks with the player, believing the three years left on his contract meant he didn't need a new one.
Shearer has now called on Isak to state exactly what was promised to him in order to clarify the situation. Instead of blaming Isak, the former England captain doubled down on his criticism of the player's agent.
He added: "Newcastle have also released a statement saying that promises were not broken, or promises were never made. I've always said there are two sides to every story, but my feelings are exactly the same: he's gone about it in the wrong way.
"I get that he might want to join a huge football club in Liverpool. I understand that, and I understand that they're regularly going to be competing for trophies. But we also need to know, who promised him? What did they promise him? When did they promise him, if that is the case? Newcastle have totally denied that.
"I'd also ask the question, who's advising him? He signed his six‐year contract without a release clause in it. That is his doing, that is his agent's doing. Now, if they foresaw someone trying to get out early, then before they signed that they were in a really strong position. They should have had a get‐out clause in it. That would be my take on it.
"Everything sort of boils down to: I think he's being given bad advice and the way he's going about it is wrong, I really do."