Jamie Carragher claims a “nightmare” experience he endured at Liverpool is behind his belief that “Newcastle should sell Alexander Isak” to the Reds this summer.
Isak is currently training apart from his Newcastle teammates and refusing to play for the club as he looks to force through a move to Liverpool, with the striker citing ‘broken promises’ with regard to a new contract as the reason for his strike action in a statement he released on social media on Tuesday.
Isak said on Instagram: “I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken.
“That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.
“The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.
“When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue. That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”
Releasing a statement in response, Newcastle said: “We have been clear that the conditions for a sale this summer have not transpired. We do not foresee these conditions being met.”
It leaves Isak in limbo, with Liverpool unlikely to bid again until doors are opened that Newcastle insist will remain closed.
And ahead of a wonderfully timed clash between Newcastle and Liverpool at St James’ Park, Carragher explained why he believes the Magpies should let Isak leave before the end of the transfer window.
He said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football: “I think Newcastle should sell Isak. There will be so many people outside Newcastle telling Newcastle and Eddie Howe what to do – ‘you’ve got to be strong, you’ve got to show players in the future that they can’t come in and demand to go’. But they don’t have the problem of Isak every day.
“They don’t have the problem Eddie Howe has of going into every press conference and being asked about him – It’s a cloud over the club every day.
“I’ve got experience of it. We had this with Fernando Torres at Liverpool. He didn’t really want to be at the club but ended up staying before we sold him in January [to Chelsea for £50m]. That four or five months was a nightmare for the club and everyone at the club couldn’t wait for him to move on.
“Newcastle are a club delighted to be in the Champions League. Isak is a player who wants to win the Champions League.
“When we were going for the Champions League at Liverpool we had some world class players, but as soon as our level dropped, people like Torres, [Javier] Mascherano and Xabi Alonso wanted to leave because there’s too much of a gap between where they are as players and where the club are.”