Jamie Carragher has told Newcastle they may have a “problem” with Alexander Isak, which is the same as when Steven Gerrard outgrew Liverpool.
Isak scored a career-best 23 Premier League goals last season. Only Mohamed Salah (29) scored more, and he went on to win the league with Liverpool.
Isak has surpassed 20 goals in two of his three seasons in the English top flight, and though Newcastle secured Champions League football for next season, he has decided he’s destined for bigger things, telling the club he wants to leave amid interest from champions Liverpool.
Reds legend Carragher has warned the Magpies they might well have a problem with Isak, who might have moved to a better level than the rest of the side can live up to.
“I’ve had this at Liverpool. Sometimes a player outgrows the team. You’re a team who will fight to qualify for the Champions League. He can play in a team that can win it,” Carragher said on The Overlap.
“When that gap becomes too big, that’s when you’ve got a problem. It happened to us with Liverpool with Steven Gerrard, but we were lucky that he was a Liverpool fan and he was from the city.
“If Steven Gerrard wasn’t a Liverpool fan, he would’ve left, because he was here [up high] and the team was there [down low].”
Carragher also slammed players such as Isak who attempt to a force a transfer from a club who has done them good.
“I’m not just talking about Isak. I’m talking about players trying to get out of clubs. You’re saying you’re injured when you’re not or you’re not turning up for training.
“I’m 99.9% per cent certain I would never do that. That club have brought you over, they’re paying your wages, you’re a god to the supporters.
“For Newcastle fans, winning the Carabao Cup is like winning the Champions League. He is a god.
“I’m not saying he shouldn’t want to move. I can understand him saying to Eddie Howe, ‘I’ve been amazing, you can get a big fee for me, Liverpool is another level, they’re not happy to be in the Champions League, they want to win the Champions League’.
“I get that, but I don’t think he’s conducted himself really well and he’s going to lose that love he’s had. I’m almost disappointed.”
In any case, once Newcastle sign a replacement, with Yoane Wissa looking like he might well head through the door, Liverpool will lodge another bid, north of £110million, for Isak.
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