Btw…
Wonder if they were all asking for Gordon to get fined by Everton, at the time.
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God he’s fucking ugly isn’t he.
I think Isak will go but it will pick up after the third game as we hit the break.
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https://x.com/David_Ornstein/status/1956107195462066180?t=ManDwK-UfAtffTPbKnfsSw&s=19
First domino has fallen
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Bournemouth have fleeced them for that fee
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Similarly, Brentford will fleece NUFC for Wissa.
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So long as the next step in that chain doesn’t happen…
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Another domino falls…
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So, last night I met up with a NUFC mate, who’s pretty level headed (like me).
He was pretty resigned about the whole saga, blaming the financial rules that prevented them from offering Isak a higher salary (I know nothing about that), his agent for contacting us and Isak for being disloyal.
He thinks they’ll end up selling him at 120m plus 10m add ons once they’ve brought in replacements.
He didn’t blame NUFC as he felt their hands were tied as giving in to Isak would precipitate a rush of other players trying to force their way out in a similar way.
He also mentioned Isak’s injury record, but also insisted 150m was a reasonable price.
Don’t shoot me, I’m only the messenger, but I thought it was interesting to hear the other side.
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Kinda ready for this move to happen now.
Or not, whatever.
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I actually have a lot of sympathy with the Newcastle fans over this. They had to put up with Mike Ashley’s wholesale mismanagement for over a decade. I think there were a lot of fans who thought there would be another City type operation, but from the fans I know, they were just hoping for competent management - more like the model that FSG have.
They don’t have that, they have rich owners with money to invest rather than someone with some sort of business model for running a sports club, and I think that’s showing. Even FSG had to learn on the job in terms of running a football club, but the Newcastle ownership doesn’t even have that type of sports expertise. Their other investments have essentially involved buying an entire sport.
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Ive said before - if Isak was our player or any one of our current squad doing this Id want them gone. Just get good money and get rid. Why keep someone who doesn’t want to be there - its no good for the squad.
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I think they are keeping him just long enough so he can’t play against them, and they have someone on the way in.
Then he will be gone
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I doubt he could play anyway - training on own isn’t the same. If he does sign I don’t imagine seeing him until after the International break which come after something silly like 4 league games (Sep. 1 - Sep. 9)
Or Newcastle could just say ok its £130m and he cant play against us is part of the deal because we are at home and the atmosphere will be even more toxic that it will currently be.
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My main concern about this transfer is that, if Isak does end up at Liverpool come the end of August, he will have done so without having a proper pre-season, meaning that it will take him some time to get up to speed, both in terms of physical preparation and getting to know the tactical aspect of his new team and new teammates - and he will be doing that with a 120-150M pounds albatross hanging around his neck.
I agree that the situation has been handed very badly by Newcastle’s people - they should have taken a page out of Liverpool’s book because we’ve already been there with Torres, Suarez and Coutinho and we showed everyone both how it shouldn’t and should be done.
What should not go unnoticed (but majority of Newcastle’s mouthpieces are dancing around it because it doesn’t fit club’s agenda) is that Isak informed Newcastle of his decision to leave this time last year. He gave them his career’s best season so far, helped them break the trophy curse, and doubled his transfer fee in the meantime. Looking at majority of their transfers in the past five seasons, I’d have backed them to properly replace him had they agreed a deal with Liverpool a month or two ago and let everyone move on.
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Tbh, a large part of the blame lies with Isak’s agents. The Suarez to Arsenal saga over 10 years ago should have taught them everything. If you think there’s an understanding that you’ll be allowed to leave at the end of a particular season under certain conditions then GET IT IN WRITING.
Verbal assurances, “gentleman’s agreements”, mean absolutely bollock all.
Had they done that this would have been straightforward.
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Given his injury record, I’d expect him not to start any competitive game before the end of september. Anything else would be very dangerous.
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Guy on radio last night said that Isak wont hand in transfer request as although he is willing to give up his bonus etc - his Agents fees are in there as well (they are also paid over the length of Isaks contract) and his agent wont want to lose any money so will tell him not to put in transfer request.
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Same I got a bit annoyed with Diaz background feeding rumours to the press but he showed up for the tour in Japan and the way he went about it from a formal way was respectful.
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I’d change his agent if I was Isak.
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