Overview

• Alexander Isak joined Liverpool from Newcastle on deadline day for a reported £125–130 million, a British-record fee.
• Before the transfer, he trained away from Newcastle’s first team, missed all pre-season and early league games, and was reported to have gone on strike to push for the move.
• Since arriving at Anfield, he has one goal in the Carabao Cup and has been following an individual fitness plan, with starts in Liverpool’s last two league matches.
• Former Newcastle midfielder Jeff Hendrick said he would not be surprised if Newcastle deliberately dragged out the deal so Isak reached Liverpool short of fitness, framing it as a possible tactic rather than a confirmed fact.
• Hendrick described the saga as unusually public over roughly two months and suggested Newcastle waited to secure their own target before finalising the sale.