Alan Shearer slates Newcastle's 'nightmare' summer amidst Isak's impending departure
After finishing fifth and qualifying for the Champions League, many had The Magpies as dark horses to compete for the title this season if they recruited well. And while adding squad pieces like Anthony Elanga and Aaron Ramsdale has improved their depth, the countless rejections and this now impending Alexander Isak departure has casted a dark cloud over their season.
With rumoured failures to sign James Trafford, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo, Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike and more, it appears that Newcastle mightn't have the pull many thought they would have when they were bought by the Saudi Public Investment Fund in 2021. Alexander Isak. Pic:And with the drama surrounding Alexander Isak and the Swede's desire to leave Newcastle for Liverpool. He has already told the club that he'll never play for them again according to David Ornstein of The Athletic after they rejected a British record fee from Liverpool earlier this month and banning him from training with the first team.
He has now returned to first team training however, but it still remains that Newcastle look like they couldn't have prepared worse for the season if they tried. It's left a lot of fans and pundits disappointed including former Toon legend Alan Shearer. Alexander Isak. Pic:'So far, Newcastle's pre-season has been a nightmare. There is no other way of describing it' Shearer said in his BBC column.
The ex-England captain then goes on to describe that Newcastle seemingly decided not to replace two key members in terms of recruiting players in Sporting Director Darren Eales and Sporting Director Paul Mitchell.
'Newcastle went into the summer with no chief executive or sporting director, which I find amazing. They knew Darren Eales was stepping down as chief executive last September – 11 months ago – and Paul Mitchell left as sporting director at the end of June.' Alan Shearer. Pic: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
'I don't know why they haven't appointed anyone yet or if that has hindered them in the transfer market, because I am not inside the club, but from the outside it is not a good look. It's a mess, and it begs the question about who has been making the big decisions.'
It's been far from ideal preparation for Newcastle as they are looking towards Brentford's Yoann Wissa and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins as potential Isak replacements. They get their season underway away at Villa this Saturday, with kick off at 12:30pm live on TNT Sports.
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