Alexander Isak, the prolific Swedish striker, has broken his silence amid a summer-long transfer saga, delivering a forceful public statement that has sent shockwaves through Newcastle United and the broader Premier League.
On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Isak chose not to attend the PFA Player of the Season awards, despite being named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for 2024–25. The absence came amid rising tensions regarding his future at Newcastle United. In a message released via his social media, the 25-year-old striker praised the recognition:
“I’m proud to be recognised by my fellow professionals with a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for 2024-25. First and foremost I want to thank my teammates and everyone at Newcastle United who has supported me along the way.” He explained his absence from the ceremony, saying: “I’m not at the ceremony tonight. With everything going on, it didn’t feel right to be there.”
Isak then sharply criticized how the situation has been handled in public, asserting: “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.”
He further emphasized that the club had long been aware of his position and that attempts to frame the current tensions as newly emerging issues were misleading: “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.”
In the most pointed part of his declaration, he stated: “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.”
Isak’s remarks add fresh clarity to a saga filled with underlying tensions. Reports suggest that verbal assurances of a pay rise or contract renegotiation—likely made by Newcastle’s former co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi—were never delivered by the current sporting leadership, led by then-sporting director Paul Mitchell.
Despite ample time remaining on his contract (running until 2028), and the club’s willingness to increase its £150,000-a-week wage ceiling to retain him, the relationship appears beyond repair.
Liverpool, long monitoring the situation, had already seen a £110 million bid for Isak rebuffed. Reports indicate the Premier League champions are preparing a record-breaking £130 million offer—one that could shatter the British transfer record—though Newcastle appear firm unless a suitable replacement is secured.
Isak’s absence from pre-season, combined with his isolation from first-team activities and refusal to participate in the Premier League season opener, further underscores the severity of the split.
Alexander Isak’s rise has been steep and impactful. Born in Solna, Sweden, in 1999, he emerged through AIK’s youth system before spells at Borussia Dortmund and Real Sociedad, where he further honed his craft. In August 2022, he joined Newcastle United for a club-record fee—around £63 million—on a six-year deal.
At Newcastle, he became a talismanic figure, netting 23 league goals in the 2024–25 campaign and cementing his place among the Premier League’s elite strikers.
He also enjoyed personal success—winning Premier League Player of the Month in December 2024, scoring notable goals, and emerging as a pivotal player in Newcastle’s ascent back into Champions League contention.