Jamie Carragher says that Newcastle must sell a random striker Alexander Isak before the transfer deadline of Monday, comparing his situation with that of Fernando Torres in Liverpool.
This summer, Isak was subject to a £ 110 million offer from Liverpool, where the club also signed Hugo Ekitike after Newcastle was strongly connected to the striker as a potential replacement for Isak.
The Sweden International has not been involved with the first team since the end of last season, instead he trains away from his teammates with his future unsolved.
In a turn of fate – and with a week to go to Deadline Day – Newcastle and Liverpool face each other on Monday evening football, and Carragher of Sky Sports offered his opinion about the situation of Isak prior to the game.
“I don't think a deal would ever be closed before this game. I couldn't see that. It will be interesting to see what will happen in the coming days,” he said.
“I can't believe it is just Isak for Liverpool or nobody, but it feels that the closer we get to the end of the window.
“Thierry Henry said Isak is a must for Liverpool. I have never been of the opinion – [I am] One of the few Liverpool fans who is completely busy with Isak and we have to spend this money.
“I don't think he is as sustainable as someone like Mo Salah. Actually, he has missed 36 League matches in the last three seasons. It is almost a season of the three seasons.
“But I think Newcastle should sell Isak.
“There will be so many people outside who tell Newcastle and Eddie Howe what to do. You have to be strong. You have to show Liverpool or another club that players don't just come in and demand.
“But they don't have the problem of Isak every day. They don't have the problem that Eddie Howe has to go to every press conference and be asked about it. It is constantly a cloud about the club.
“I have experience with it. We had this with Fernando Torres in Liverpool, where he didn't really want to be in the club.
“He finally stayed and we sold him in January. Those four or five months were a nightmare for the club and everyone couldn't wait for him to continue.
“It is similar to Newcastle. As a club they are delighted to be in the Champions League and Isak is a player who wants to win. They are not there now and he is 25 out of 26.
“When we went for the Champions League, we had a number of world class players. As soon as our level dropped, people like Torres walked, [Javier] Mascherano and [Xabi] Alonso – World Class players – wanted to leave because there was too much gap in between where they are as players and where the club is.
“So it's not just that I try in Newcastle and want their player to come to Liverpool, I have experience with that situation and when you have a player who doesn't want to be there, it can be an absolute nightmare.”
Former Arsenal -striker Henry called Isak One the best attackers from the Premier League at the moment and agreed with Carragher that it is best when he leaves Newcastle.
“He is there with, if not the, best striker in the competition at the moment,” he said on Monday Night Football.
“He is a great striker. What he can give you and on the ball, the way he is ready, but if you have a player in situations where he wants to leave, it is good that people get upset, because if a player is not good and a club wants him, I don't want to cry for the player.
“I can understand the fans and the club, but I can also understand him. You always place yourself in a situation as a player where people may not understand if you don't come to train.
“We never know the whole story, but the only thing I say is that you cannot put yourself in a situation where you will not train.
“In an ideal world, the best for him and for everyone is when he can leave, but I also believe that when someone makes a mistake, when he apologizes, we can continue.
“If he scores goals and he starts playing in the same way as last year, the fans of Newcastle will be good about it.”