The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Ex-pros just keep getting it wrong on future of ace Alex
UNITED WOULD BE MAD TO SELL ISAK DESPITE WHAT SOME PUNDITS MAY THINK
NEWCASTLE United may have broken the bank with a £63m outlay for his services but with each passing day Alexander Isak looks more and more like a bargain for the ages.
The Swede has found the net 21 times in 34 appearances this term and is averaging a Premier League goal every 104 minutes.
As such, it is no surprise to see Isak being linked with another big money switch in the near future, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham just a few recently-named suitors, but it seems as though the pundit class in this country have lost their marbles when it comes to the striker’s future on Tyneside.
Let’s start with Darren Bent. A top quality Premier League export who found the back of the net 106 times in the top flight, the former journeyman knows what it takes to succeed at the top level. He has since made a very successful post-playing career on the airwaves at TALKSPORT.
Yet inexplicably, the usuallyknowledgable Bent believes Arsenal may be able to poach Newcastle’s most valued attacker this summer for a meagre £80m – just £17m more than the Magpies spent bringing him to St James’ Park in 2022.
“£80-100 million, and I would happily pay it,” Bent said when quizzed over the 24-year-old. Double it and maybe you’ll get a call back from one of the Newcastle hierarchy.
After all, United may be forced to ponder tempting offers for important players this summer given Premier League sustainability rules; but the hope is that they can keep the likes of Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon for the long-term. Eddie Howe, quizzed on Isak’s future again over the weekend, reaffirmed his stance that the former Real Sociedad man is too vital to let go.
“Your top players, the elite ones, are so difficult to recruit, they’re so difficult to find, so when we get them, we’ve got to try to keep them,” the Newcastle boss told reporters.
It’s a good job Jose Enrique isn’t in charge of Newcastle’s recruitment this summer then, given he recently offered his opinion as to why Isak should be the man to make way in the coming months.
“The problem with Alexander Isak, is that he’s always injured,’ Enrique told Grosvenor Sport. “The way Newcastle want to play is with high intensity and pressing from the front and you can’t be expected to fulfil that if you’re getting three or four injuries every year.
“If someone comes along and offers them the £70m that they spent to sign him in the first place then they need to think about it.”
If you thought Bent’s shout was bad, Enrique has decided Newcastle should settle for just £7m profit on arguably their most important player. A figure of £70m in the modern game is peanuts – especially for a player of Isak’s ilk.
Jack Grealish garnered a fee of £100m when moving to Manchester City. Throw in the fact Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo cost Chelsea £107m and £115m respectively, while Declan Rice’s Arsenal move strengthened West Ham United’s transfer kitty by £105m, and you can see that football fees have significantly changed these days.
You can argue as to whether Isak is worth over £100m, but you cannot argue how important he is to Newcastle United. The forward is arguably irreplaceable at this stage of the journey given his versatility, age, scoring record, form and because of the limited options Howe has to replace him with.
Keeping him at St James’ Park for the long-haul is, of course, the preferred stance. Though if any suitors fancy a bid, don’t listen to the likes of Bent or Enrique when reaching for the chequebook.