Alexander Isak pushed to leave Newcastle United for Liverpool in the summer transfer window and has been defended by former Magpies boss Ruud Gullit.
Amie Wilson Central Audience Writer
19:49, 24 Nov 2025
Alexander Isak completed a move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window. (Image: Nikki Dyer – LFC, Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Former Newcastle United manager Ruud Gullit has come to the defence of Alexander Isak over his controversial departure from the club to join Liverpool during the summer transfer window. The striker’s future dominated much of the summer, with him pushing to complete a move to Anfield.
It saw him train separately from main Newcastle squad during pre-season and sitting out matches early in the season. The transfer finally materialised on deadline day, with Liverpool paying a club-record £125million fee.
Isak’s conduct in forcing through the move, predictably, angered Newcastle supporters. It has also drawn criticism from elsewhere, but Gullit has offered an alternative viewpoint.
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“It works also the other way around. If they don’t like you anymore for whatever reason, you get sold,” he exclusively said, via Videogamer.com.
“So you have to look at it from both sides, and of course, the fans will not be happy if the best player wants to leave. That’s for every club around the world.
“But if you’re not good enough, they’re happy to get you out. Therefore, it is difficult for the player themselves because you come, you go away and you don’t want to leave as a villain.
“That’s the point. But you only have a career until you’re 34. Maybe 32. And you want to get out, you want to do everything that is possible in order to succeed in your career, your whole career.
“And if he thinks that that is the right way, he got his transfer anyway. You don’t want to leave like that, but people need to understand that it also goes the other way.
“If they want to get rid of you, they do. I don’t hear anybody talking about that! It’s more difficult for the players.”
Alexander Isak has had a difficult start to life at Liverpool. (Image: Shaun Botterill, Getty Images)
Isak has found it challenging to make his mark at Anfield following his summer arrival. He is still working on his fitness levels after his pre-season preparations were disrupted by the transfer.
Across his nine outings in all competitions this term, he has found the net just once, with that strike coming in a League Cup win over Championship outfit Southampton.
Isak was in Liverpool’s starting line-up for their Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at the weekend but was unable to prevent his team slipping to a 3-0 defeat. The result left them sitting in 11th position in the Premier League standings.
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