Michael Owen’s post following the news that Alexander Isak had finally completed his £125 million transfer to Liverpool on deadline day has caused a stir. The veteran forward played for both the Reds and Newcastle throughout his career, but he remains a divisive figure in both clubs after being portrayed as a mercenary who left them to join Manchester United.
In a twist of déjà vu, Isak finds himself cast in a similar light. The Swedish forward appeared to burn bridges at St James’ Park when he publicly accused Newcastle’s Saudi-led administration of breaking commitments, refusing to play another game and leaving without thanking the supporters who idolised him. Many admirers believe his legacy has already been harmed.
Football, as always, rewards ambition. Isak has landed the move he has long desired, and when he returns from international service with Sweden, he will join a fearsome Liverpool assault that includes Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz.
His road there may not have been graceful, but Owen made a valid point in comparing him to Marc Guehi, who has been universally hailed as a model professional but saw his own dream transfer to the Premier League champions fall through at the last minute.
Owen’s tweet following Alexander Isak’s record transfer causes a stir
Going on strike and refusing to play while still under contract is never a popular option, but Yoane Wissa did the same at Brentford to force through his move, and was eventually revealed as Newcastle’s replacement for Isak. In sharp contrast, Guehi kept his head down at Crystal Palace, playing in every match until his Liverpool physical, only to be left empty-handed when his contract fell through.
The way this transfer window unfolded has inspired a lot of discussion about how players would handle similar situations in the future. Owen added his voice to the issue, posting on X (see below):
“Hmmm. Behaving badly will get you the desired move. Be a gentleman and you’ll pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No prizes for predicting how gamers will behave in the future if this is the outcome.”
Guehi’s position became much more dramatic when his farewell video emerged following the failure of his transfer. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner reportedly vowed to retire if chairman Steve Parish accepted the £35 million agreement with Liverpool. Nonetheless, Anfield is optimistic that a trade can be reopened over the next 12 months, by which time Guehi’s contract will have ended and Ibrahima Konate might be on his way to Real Madrid.
Owen’s comments elicited mixed reactions. While some viewers grasped his point of view, many others ignored it outright, unable to divorce his views from his own problematic career actions from more than a decade ago, which continue to cast doubt on his character. “Same way you behaved and got your move,” one X user responded frankly, while another added:
“Yes, expert counsel from the man who pushed a move to Madrid and then wore a Manchester United shirt. “Truly the moral compass football required.”
A further user commented: “Coming from the only other ex-Newcastle player likely to share an unpopularity award with Isak… pair of absolute rats” in response to a comment: “Surprised at your tweet, Michael – considering you wrote the book…”
A fifth concluded by making a solid point regarding Eberechi Eze, writing: “This take is truly ludicrous, to say the least. Where’s the class and professionalism? Even after playing in the first few games for Palace, Eze received what he wanted. Teach the younger ones how to handle such circumstances calmly and avoid smearing their reputations due to selfish desire.”
xz
