Liverpool paid a record fee to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United on summer deadline day.
The Sweden international was determined to leave Newcastle and worked to force a move to Anfield.
He did it by refusing to go on pre-season tour with Newcastle or train with the first-team. After signing for Liverpool, the 24-year-old joined his national team for September’s fixtures and there was a lot of media attention in Sweden.
Wednesday’s edition of Sportbladet has published an interview with Mikael Lustig, who retired in 2022. During his playing career, he played with Isak for Sweden and knows him well.
The 38-year-old former defender talked about need to find a solution to avoid situations like the one Isak experienced at Newcastle this summer.
“Having been in the game for a very long time, I know that unfortunately that’s the way you have to do it if you want to get a transfer,” he said.
“I’ve had many teammates who did the opposite, who kept quiet and stayed. Then I’ve had teammates who locked themselves in their hotel rooms and refused to come out, and those players were sold. It will probably take some kind of rule change to get rid of that problem.”
The frontman spent three years at Real Sociedad and left them to join Eddie Howe’s side in 2022. He starred for the Tyneside club, scoring 62 times and registering 11 assists from 109 games.
His compatriot believes Isak had always seen Newcastle as a stepping stone to secure a big move.
“Of course, I’m divided, because I know Isak and know what an incredibly nice and humble guy he is. You might see it a little differently compared to other players you have no relationship with,” Lustig explained.
“I don’t know if he was promised anything, but Isak is Swedish and came from Real Sociedad. I don’t think he had a dream of playing six years at Newcastle. When he went there, I thought it was a stepping stone for him to the biggest clubs in the world.”
