‘Sad Day’—Liverpool Legend Delivers Surprising Reaction to Alexander Isak Arrival

Jamie Carragher also had a contrary opinion when it came to the signing of Marc Guéhi.

Alexander Isak (left) has had his behaviour questioned by Jamie Carragher. / X/LFC/James Gill-Danehouse/Getty Images

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher lamented the conduct carried out by Alexander Isak which forced through his move away from Newcastle United, warning that this summer’s transfer exiles have set a worrying precedent going forward.

Isak was not alone in going on strike. Yoane Wissa went public with his desire to leave Brentford before eventually sealing a move to Newcastle, while Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres was fined by Sporting CP after failing to report for pre-season training earlier in the summer.

Crystal Palace centre back Marc Guéhi notably continued playing for the Eagles only to see his move to Liverpool collapse in the final hours of Deadline Day. Carragher argued that the success had by the players who forced through their move would convince others to follow suit in the future.

“You look at Guéhi, who conducted himself fantastically well and still feels a fan favourite with the Palace supporters and the manager speaking highly of him as well,” the pundit told Sky Sports News. “He will have to wait maybe until January now or next summer to get that move.

“Other players in this position in a year’s time will look at how Isak and Wissa have gone about it and how that gives them a greater opportunity to get out—and that would be a sad day for football. Because I don’t think it’s been great how both players have conducted themselves.

A new era dawns at Anfield. pic.twitter.com/xc64SANWKl

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) September 2, 2025

“I have no issue with players wanting to leave a club—transfers happen and it’s part and parcel of the game. It’s understandable that those two players want to move on and play for bigger clubs to give them a better chance for their careers and to win more silverware, or maybe gain more money.

“But I can’t help but think that if someone is putting thousands of pounds in your bank account every week, you should be training and playing.

“But would both those players have moved if that wasn’t the case?” Carragher asked himself. “We don’t know. Both players have not got what they want, you have to move on for that. Let’s see what happens for both players for Liverpool and Newcastle respectively.”

In another contrarian take, Carragher dismissed suggestions that Liverpool failure to secure a move for Guéhi would prove decisive in their defence of the Premier League title.

“There was a lot of talk over the last couple of weeks saying Marc Guéhi was more important than bringing Isak in, I don’t agree with that at all,” the former defender huffed. “Liverpool only had one centre forward—they needed to buy a striker, there’s no doubt about that, whether it was Isak or not.

“Liverpool have the numbers at centre back. It’s just a question of whether they have the quality.”

---

READ THE LATEST LIVERPOOL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE

feed