‘It hasn’t worked’ - Alan Shearer raises Liverpool doubt over Alexander Isak transfer
Alexander Isak has scored just one goal from nine games for club and country since leaving Newcastle United.
Alan Shearer believes Alexander Isak’s summer antics have backfired and are to blame for his lacklustre start to the campaign.
The Swede has scored just one Carabao Cup goal in nine appearances for club and country this season. To put it bluntly, Isak has looked a far cry from the striker who bagged 27 goals for Newcastle United in 2024-25.
He left the Magpies on deadline day after wrangling for a move to Liverpool all summer. By refusing to train or play for Newcastle, it is perhaps no surprise that he has little sympathy on Tyneside for his lean spell in front of goal.
Alexander Isak pressures pile up
Isak’s woes went from bad to worse as Sweden’s hopes of World Cup qualification went up in smoke over the international break. Home defeats to Switzerland and Kosovo have left them needing a miracle - with the FA already pulling the trigger on manager Jon Dahl Tomasson.
The former Toon striker wore the armband for the 2-0 loss to Switzerland - a surprising move as his recent behaviour hardly screams captain material. Many in his homeland question whether Isak downing tools for Newcastle has directly affected their World Cup qualification hopes.
‘It hasn’t worked’ - Alan Shearer
Toon icon Shearer is adamant that his lack of match sharpness has come back to haunt him. He said: “It hasn’t been the start to the season that Isak would’ve wanted. When you consider Sweden's front three of (Viktor) Gyokeres, Isak and (Anthony) Elanga and you can't score and are on the brink of not qualifying for the World Cup...
“Obviously, the manager has paid the price and lost his job which is no surprise. With the Newcastle situation, Isak not playing or training and understandably hasn’t hit the ground running at Liverpool, he was probably looking to get to full fitness at this international break, but it’s gone the other way.
“It hasn’t worked. He and they haven’t scored and can't score which, when you look at the ability of that front three, being bottom of the group doesn't look right at all. The summer certainly hasn't helped Isak.”
‘Doesn’t benefit anyone’ - Alexander Isak
During the international break, the Swedish press pack pressed Isak on his Newcastle exit. The Liverpool man is preferring to move on - insisting that dragging up the saga does not benefit either party.
“It’s nothing I want to dwell on now,” Isak said, as quoted by ESPN. “It doesn't benefit anyone, neither me nor Newcastle so let it be. I'm working hard to push myself and play my game. Things have been a bit tougher for us (Liverpool). I believe that as the team improves and things start to flow better, it will also go better for me.”