Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa’s Cold Club Exit Statements Make Mockery of Legacies

Alexander Isak was the talk of English football this whole summer – and not in a good way.

The Swedish striker forced a move to Liverpool from Newcastle United this window following months of speculation, rumour and innuendo regarding what might come for the player.

Liverpool wanted Isak for around £110million before they were told to up their offer or risk losing out on the 25-year-old.

Newcastle did not want to sell and were holding out for around the £150m mark but they would finally sanction the player’s exit after bringing in other forward players to replace him.

Isak was accused of bad behaviour and of throwing his toys out the pram as he demanded the move be greenlit by the Magpies.

He went so far as to claim there had been promises made to him that were broken in what was a relatively unprofessional public airing of dirty laundry.

Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa forced moves from Newcastle and Brentford

Isak and Newcastle traded statements but it only served the attacker, in the end, who moved to Anfield for £125m.

The long-running saga did, however, throw up questions of Isak’s loyalty in a general sense and it also may have permanently damaged his reputation and legacy at Newcastle.

So much so that there was no love lost from the club’s cold statement as they confirmed his exit.

The club wrote: “Newcastle United can announce the sale of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a significant British record transfer fee.

“The Sweden international joined the Magpies from Real Sociedad in 2022 and made 109 appearances in all competitions.”

No hint of a thank you for the hitman – who scored the winner in last season’s Carabao Cup Final – shows what they think now.

In an ironic turn of events, the player Newcastle brought in to replace the outgoing Swede, Yoane Wissa, did the exact same thing to Brentford and demanded an exit.

He issued a lengthy statement claiming the Bees had also told him he could leave and he was unhappy at the thought of having to remain with the club.

Why the statements were so blunt for Isak and Wissa

Wissa wanted a Newcastle move and when it came about, Brentford were also rather ruthless in a similar statement which told the facts over anything nostalgic.

Their statement read: “Yoane Wissa has joined Newcastle United for an undisclosed fee.

“The forward signed from French club Lorient in August 2021 and scored 49 goals in 149 appearances for Brentford.

“In his first season, Wissa scored 10 goals in all competitions and then added another seven in 2022/23. Wissa missed part of the 2023/24 campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations with DR Congo, where his nation were beaten by South Africa on penalties in the third-place play-off, but hit his best patch of form in a Brentford shirt on his return.

“Wissa ended that season with a run of eight goals and two assists in 15 games helping him to become the Bees’ top scorer. During the 2024/25 campaign Wissa became the club’s record Premier League goalscorer (45), surpassing Ivan Toney’s previous record of 36.

“He ended the season with 19 top-flight goals.”

It may have been a lengthier statement than Newcastle’s for Isak, but it was similarly blunt.