Ally McCoist tells Alexander Isak exactly what Newcastle teammates will think of transfer antics

Pundit Ally McCoist has criticized Alexander Isak for letting himself, his team-mates and the Newcastle United fans down after trying to force through a move to Liverpool.

The Swedish forward is reportedly refusing to play for the Magpies again amidst interest from the Premier League champions, and is currently training separately from the rest of the squad.

Isak will not be in the line-up for Saturday's opening Premier League match against Aston Villa, as manager Eddie Howe feels he cannot select the 25 year old under the current circumstances. Newcastle has held its ground throughout the summer, unwilling to sell for anything less than its valuation and without securing a suitable replacement.

Liverpool's only bid so far falls significantly short of United's reported $202 million (£150m) valuation of the player, and there has been no second offer from Anfield.

It's Isak's behaviour that has drawn the most criticism in recent weeks, with the striker absent from United's tour to Singapore and South Korea last month. He hasn't played a single minute of pre-season, causing Newcastle to shift their transfer priorities.

Responding on talkSPORT to a Liverpool fan named Paul who believed Newcastle should have let Isak go by now, McCoist was quick to point out where he felt Isak had erred this summer.

The caller said: "I'm I'm just laughing head off these these Newcastle fans for weeks on end. Liverpool has lost our best players to the best team in the world numerous times. Barcelona, Real Madrid, you know, Alonso, Suarez, people like that.

"Torres even going to Chelsea, And we were we were one of the biggest clubs in the world and always have been and we're losing players to them to them clubs. Who does Newcastle think it is?"

McCoist replied: "No, that's not the argument. That's not fair. The argument is the way he's going about it. That's the argument.

"The argument is how he's handled it. If he went the right way about it, he can he can put in a transfer request. He can tell Eddie, I want to go to Liverpool, And Eddie says 'Well, yeah, I'll let you go if I get the right offer or another setting forward in'.

"Once you start saying, 'I'm not turning up for my work' you're letting yourself down, you're letting your team-mates down, and you're letting the fans down."

Newcastle is presently exploring striker alternatives following disappointment over Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike, with the clock ticking on potential signings ahead of Saturday's lunchtime clash at Villa Park.

Howe is expected to deploy Anthony Gordon as a central striker, whilst Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga and Jacob Murphy will battle for the wing positions.

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