Former England striker Wayne Rooney has issued a warning to Liverpool regarding the possible signing of Alexander Isak. Rooney commented on the Swede’s current approach to the transfer, including his decision to refuse training.
“The fact that he’s refusing to train makes it very difficult for him to go back [to Newcastle]. There’s an element of trust there. He’s going about this the wrong way. Maybe he’s getting bad advice. It’s a good opportunity, but it needs to be done the right way,” Rooney said on BBC Sport’s Match of the Day.
Isak has openly expressed his desire to leave Newcastle during this transfer window. Last month, Liverpool made a £110 million bid for the striker, which was rejected. Newcastle are reportedly seeking around £150 million for the 25-year-old. Liverpool are considering a second offer in the coming weeks, but Isak’s refusal to play has reportedly caused frustration among the Magpies’ management. He missed the goalless Premier League opener against Aston Villa last Saturday.
Rooney reflects on his own experience
Rooney, speaking from his own experiences, compared Isak’s situation to his own at Manchester United in 2010–11, when he publicly requested a move away from the club at the start of the season, with Chelsea reportedly interested. Despite the public dispute, Rooney remained at Old Trafford and eventually signed a new contract.
Drawing on that experience, Rooney warned Liverpool about Isak’s behaviour.
“For the team looking to sign him, in this case Liverpool, you have to ask yourself if this is the kind of player you want — someone who will abandon his teammates and a great football club. I think he has to handle this the right way. There’s a right way and a wrong way of going about it. I went through it myself when I asked to leave Manchester United,” Rooney explained.
“There’s a way to do these things, and Alex isn’t doing it the right way. You have to feel for the players and the manager [at Newcastle]. Players today are giving everything for the football club, for the thousands of fans who travelled to Villa Park. They’re giving their all, but then they see another player, wherever he is, refusing to play despite having three years left on his contract. You can imagine the anger they feel when someone takes the liberty of refusing to play. You just can’t do that when you have three years left on your contract,” he added.
Newcastle are next in action on Monday (25), hosting Liverpool at St James’ Park in the second round of the Premier League. Despite Liverpool’s interest, it is highly unlikely that any deal for Isak will be completed in time for the match.
This article was originally published on Trivela.
