Swedish striker Alexander Isak faced a hostile reception upon his return to Tyneside with Liverpool, twelve months after his controversial departure from Newcastle United.
The 26-year-old’s £125million move to Merseyside on transfer deadline day became the most talked-about transfer saga of last summer’s window.
Former manager Eddie Howe had initially believed Isak would stay at St James’ Park for the 2025/26 campaign, but the forward shocked the club by indicating he wanted to leave. What ensued was more than a month of upheaval, with the Swede declining to join Newcastle’s pre-season preparations and instead training with his former side Real Sociedad.
Upon his eventual return to Darsley Park, Isak was kept apart from the first-team squad as he continued his push for a switch to Liverpool. The transfer was finally completed on September 1st, when the Reds announced a British-record fee for the centre-forward.
The Toon Army, who had revered Isak for nearly three years, swiftly turned against him. Social media platforms were flooded with angry posts, and a group of supporters even displayed a banner outside the stadium declaring: ‘Isak is a pure rat.’
On Saturday, the forward made his anticipated comeback to the North East ahead of Sunday’s fixture between Liverpool and Newcastle. As anticipated, he was confronted by irate fans waiting outside the visitors’ team hotel, unleashing the animosity that had built since his exit.
Footage shared online shows Isak calmly walking through the hotel entrance, headphones in, ignoring the barrage of jeers and abuse.
Newcastle supporters could be heard bellowing expletives as their former favourite walked past, appearing unmoved by the hostility.
A similarly hostile greeting awaits the striker when he takes to the field on Sunday afternoon, with the two teams meeting in a high-octane Premier League season opener at 4.30pm.
Isak will be desperate to quiet the 52,719 fans packed inside the stadium during the match, and is set to lead Andoni Iraola’s forward line with Hugo Ekitike unavailable following an Achilles tendon rupture earlier this year.
This comes after a difficult first season on Merseyside for the centre-forward, significantly hampered by injury issues. Having missed pre-season due to his protracted transfer, Isak was unable to make an immediate impact with the Reds, as then-manager Arne Slot cautiously managed his workload.
Isak’s season was further affected in late December when he suffered a broken leg during a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. The injury sidelined him for 106 days, with groin and muscle problems causing him to miss a further two matches towards the campaign’s end.
Isak managed just three goals from 14 outings overall, but will be targeting a significantly improved season in 2026/27, beginning with a challenging reunion with his former club.