The transfer saga involving Alexander Isak and Newcastle United has escalated dramatically, marking the start of the new Premier League season.
After missing pre-season and his side’s opening match, the Swedish striker went public with his frustrations in a bombshell social media statement, claiming “promises have been broken” and that his relationship with the club “can’t continue.”
In a direct response, Newcastle United issued their own statement, denying Isak’s allegations and insisting he remains under a long-term contract.
With Liverpool having a £110 million bid for the striker rejected, the saga has captivated the football world.
It is against this backdrop of public feuding that former Liverpool and Newcastle striker Michael Owen has offered a controversial defence of the player’s actions, providing a unique perspective on the situation.
Michael Owen’s controversial transfer defence of Alexander Isak
Owen is not a stranger to controversy on Tyneside.
Bought for a record fee, Owen immediately created a sense of distrust by admitting he never wanted to join the club, viewing it as a “downward step” from his ambitions to return to Liverpool.
His time on the pitch was plagued by injuries, and he notably had a public falling out with fans after he felt insulted by their reaction to one of his many physical setbacks.
The feud culminated in a bitter social media spat with club legend Alan Shearer and ended with Owen leaving on a free transfer for Manchester United after the club was relegated.
Now, with a similar scenario playing out with Isak, Owen has delivered his assessment of the situation, telling Chronicle Live: “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.”
He added: “This whole scenario is an interesting one because nine times out of ten 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?”
The comments have been widely shared and have sparked a debate over whether a player’s ambition can ever justify actions that are seen as disloyal to their club.
Alexander Isak is not the first striker to try and force a transfer
Throughout Premier League history, a number of high-profile strikers have tried to force a move away from their clubs, often using similar tactics.
The most famous recent examples are those of Harry Kane and Luis Suárez.
Harry Kane, in his pursuit of a move to Manchester City in 2021, refused to report for pre-season training with Tottenham Hotspur in an attempt to force a transfer.
His actions were a dramatic step to leave a club he had served for many years.
Similarly, Luis Suárez’s move from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2014 was preceded by a prolonged public saga and a formal transfer request after a previous failed attempt to join Arsenal.
The Uruguayan striker openly stated his desire to leave, creating immense pressure on Liverpool to sell.
The actions of these two strikers highlight a clear trend in modern football where players are willing to take drastic steps to control their careers, a situation that now mirrors Isak’s current stand-off with Newcastle United.
In some instances, players returned and their performances managed to get the fans back on side, while others got their move.
It remains to be seen how Isak’s one will end up.