'I know exactly what Alexander Isak's thinking – these are his Liverpool and Newcastle dilemmas'

Dimitar Berbatov believes Alexander Isak will be contemplating more than just the future of his career as Liverpool continue to target the Newcastle United striker. To say he has impressed since arriving from Real Sociedad in 2022 would be an understatement.

Isak is one of the best centre-forwards in Europe, and his finishing backs that up, having scored 62 goals in 109 appearances for the Magpies. Isak has also been instrumental in helping the club finish fourth, seventh and fifth in the Premier League over the past three seasons, not to mention scoring the winner in the 2025 Carabao Cup final.

However, the 25-year-old's future on Tyneside has been clouded in speculation this summer, as the Swede made clear he wished to explore his options away from Newcastle, with Premier League champions Liverpool the only realistic destination for Isak at present.

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According to Berbatov, who faced a similar situation when he left Tottenham Hotspur to play for Manchester United back in 2008 in a £30.75million move, Isak will have plenty on his mind, and he knows just what the player is going through.

Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football, the LiveScore and LiveScore Bet European Brand Ambassador said: "I've been there. I've been in that situation as well, so for a striker or any star player of a team at one point or another, more often than not, it's going to come down to this.

"Him wanting to leave if a bigger club comes after him. Of course, it's different because every individual, every player is different. Everybody thinks differently. But more times than not, when a big, big club comes for you, then you start thinking about trophies, about Champions League, about playing with the best, against the best.

"Of course Newcastle is one of the best teams in England and I used to support them because when [Alan] Shearer was there raising his hand, and all the time it was great watching them. And even now it's entertaining, what they're doing. But when Liverpool comes after you, Man City, Real Madrid, Barca... you know one of the biggest teams in the world, then trust me, your head is going to go like this, thinking about it and imagining it.

"'Oh my god the white shirt of Real Madrid,' you know? ‘The red of Liverpool. Is this the next step of my development? So do I need to take it? What happens if I don't? Maybe I miss my opportunity and that's going to be it for me.'

“Of course, maybe the pay raise, more money, because football is business these days. So a lot of questions that I'm sure are going to Isak. Of course his agent around him, his family around him, friends, environment is also very important. Giving him opinions, guidance maybe, and it's going to come to a point, I don't know if that's the point now that we're seeing, where you say to the club, 'Look I've given enough, now it's time to move on.'

"The club's maybe not going to react well, especially if they don't have the replacement in hand, so now they need to react quickly. Maybe they don't want to let you go, because they have high expectations of you for the next season.

"I go through the team and then friction starts to happen. Then it becomes bigger, and bigger and bigger, and all like this until it reaches the point where everybody is angry and disappointed. You're speaking through the agents and not with the player, then you banish him to train alone or whatever. It's never a good thing, it's never a good thing and it pains me to see stuff like this."

The now 44-year-old also highlighted how he faced a similar scenario when he joined United from Spurs in 2008, given how highly thought of he was at White Hart Lane at the time. He added: "I went through that thing. It was a difficult period as well.

"I understand the player, I understand the club and I hope they will find the solution in the middle, a balanced one where everybody will be happy. Of course, the fans, some of them will be okay, the majority of them probably will not understand because this is the star player, the player who scored goals, the player who Newcastle gave the opportunity to show what he can do.

"So it's never an easy thing and it's just a situation where honestly you don't want to be in. But again, understanding from a player point of view, I understand the team. But again, Harry Kane left Spurs, I left Spurs to go to United.

"Many players are leaving their clubs to go to different clubs and the teams are always there. They will continue to do well. Newcastle, they will find a good replacement, they will continue to do well. So it's about finding the right answer."

Liverpool have already approached Newcastle United for Isak with a bid of £110m, only to see it quickly rebuffed due to the Magpies' £150m valuation of their star man. However, it is thought that the Reds will continue to monitor Isak's situation closely as they approach the final few weeks of the summer transfer window.

With regards to bolstering their own strike force this summer, Newcastle's outlook has been incredibly bleak thus far. The Magpies initially registered an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt sensation, Hugo Ekitike, only for the Frenchman to instead complete a £79m move to Liverpool.

While talks for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko appeared promising at first, the 22-year-old has instead jetted off to Manchester United to have a medical on Friday, where he is expected to complete a long-term deal.

The club are now said to be interested in pursuing Chelsea's unsettled Nicolas Jackson, but they'll face stiff competition from Spurs in doing so should Richarlison leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming weeks.

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