The hierarchy at St. James’ Park communicated very directly that they had no intention of parting ways with Alexander Isak, but recent reports suggest that the player has now indicated his wish to seek opportunities elsewhere.
This situation presents a crucial juncture for Newcastle. Their ambition is to firmly establish themselves among the leading clubs in English football, aspiring to emulate the consistent success of Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal by consistently qualifying for the Champions League and competing for the Premier League title.
To achieve these goals, Newcastle must navigate situations like this with utmost care. The departure of a key player carries inherent disadvantages, and Newcastle’s ambitions surpass their current standing alongside clubs like Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Brighton.
Newcastle United have history lessons to learn from Liverpool and Arsenal
Those teams tend to feature regularly in European competitions, experiencing periods of both success and setbacks, but ultimately remain in a perpetual state of squad transformation and unfulfilled potential.
However, it is not as straightforward as asserting that Newcastle should simply refuse to entertain the possibility of selling Isak as a matter of principle.
Even clubs that have been mainstays at the highest echelons of football are not immune to players seeking transfers for various reasons – for example, consider Trent Alexander-Arnold’s speculated move to Real Madrid.
Across all levels of the sport, there is a general understanding that forcing a player to remain at a club against their will is counterproductive. Dissatisfied employees rarely perform at their best, and underperforming players drain resources through wages and diminish in market value.
In such cases, it is more prudent to acknowledge the situation and facilitate a transfer while the player’s value remains high, rather than risking a deterioration of the situation. Successful clubs demonstrate proficiency in selling players strategically, particularly in the current landscape of stricter financial regulations and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Deviating from this principle can have detrimental consequences. Arsenal experienced this firsthand during the latter part of Arsène Wenger’s tenure, requiring several years to recover from mid-table mediocrity and re-establish themselves as Champions League contenders under Mikel Arteta.
Previously, Arsenal had effectively managed situations where key players were lured away by clubs such as Barcelona, Chelsea, and Manchester City, adapting by selling and reinvesting in replacements.
However, following Robin van Persie’s departure and subsequent Premier League title win with Manchester United, Arsenal adopted a more resistant stance, refusing to allow star players to join rival clubs. This approach not only affected their on-field performance but also led to players like Mesut Özil, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, and Aaron Ramsey leaving the club without generating any transfer revenue.
The situation surrounding Özil was particularly protracted and detrimental to the club’s image. Players communicate with each other, and a club’s reputation suffers when it is perceived as holding players against their will if a desirable transfer opportunity arises.
Liverpool, conversely, have excelled at selling players at opportune moments. The potential departure of Alexander-Arnold as a free agent would be an uncommon instance of them failing to capitalize on a player’s value.
A decade ago, they strategically sold Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, using the funds to construct a more robust and successful team – although it required time and the appointment of Jurgen Klopp to fully realize that vision.
Newcastle will be hoping they are at a more evolved point in their development compared to Liverpool during the latter years of Brendan Rodgers’ management.
Klopp’s arrival to oversee a somewhat inconsistent squad led to a period of extensive transfer activity as the club sought to identify the right players; Newcastle already possess a solid and dependable squad, needing only a few strategic additions to elevate them to the next level.
A high-value sale of Isak could prove beneficial if Newcastle can judiciously reinvest the proceeds to enhance the squad’s balance. The season before last, they were prolific in attack but vulnerable defensively.
Last season, their defensive record improved overall, but this came at the expense of scoring fewer goals.
Even then, their performance was inconsistent, and there were instances where Eddie Howe’s team appeared vulnerable: Fulham, Brentford, Bournemouth, a struggling Manchester City, and rivals Aston Villa all managed to score three or four goals against them during the season.
This may be indicative of Newcastle’s over-reliance on the influential Isak at times. To illustrate with a simplified example, if Newcastle were to receive, say, £120 million for him, they could potentially acquire a reasonably good £60 million replacement and two well-scouted £30 million players to enhance the team’s stability and consistency.
The departure of a key player is invariably challenging in the short term – but at times, it can be precisely what a team requires to accelerate their progress to the next phase of development.
