Despite only being 23 years of age, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak already boasts 40 caps for Sweden.
That’s a lot for his age, and it’s something that Janne Andersson is trying to take advantage of, as the Magpies striker continues to grow as both a player and a footballer.
Speaking to the media ahead of the upcoming international games, relayed by Fotbollskanalen, the Sweden manager was asked about the Newcastle star, who has started the season under Eddie Howe in fine form, finding the back of the net twice in four appearances to date.
That’s because there are a few new faces in the national team squad, and he is turning to the striker to lead them.
He said: “For me, Alex is a player that I want to see take greater responsibility on the pitch. To step forward. I will talk to him about that. (…) I’m not going to put a lot of pressure on him, but it’s clear that now that he has 40 international matches, he is a player that we should be able to prop up a little.”
This can only be good news for Newcastle, where Isak may not be seen as a leader just yet, having only arrived a year ago from Real Sociedad.
However, getting experience in such a role for his national team could be beneficial for Eddie Howe in the long run, as the 23-year-old has a contract at St James’ Park until 2028, and is clearly an important part of the squad for the very long foreseeable future.
