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Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge said that he is not concerned by the manner in which Alexander Isak forced through his transfer to the Reds.
Several weeks after effectively going on strike at Newcastle, Isak completed his Premier League-record move to Liverpool on deadline day. The Sweden international had refused to travel on the club's preseason tour of China, which began toward the end of August, and he also did not figure in any of Newcastle's opening three games of the season.
Isak is now viewed with disdain by most of the Newcastle supporters who used to adore him, but Aldridge is not concerned by the player's attitude.
"Thank goodness the Alexander Isak transfer saga is now over," Aldridge said in his column for the Liverpool Echo. "And while a bit crazy that it was left until almost the last minute before the deadline on Monday evening, it was inevitable Liverpool would get their man.
"I say that because of how the whole thing panned out, even if it perhaps took longer than anybody would ideally have wanted.
"I do think Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian owners weren’t quite clever enough to use their commonsense a bit sooner.
"Isak wanted to leave, and he stood his ground and ended up in a battle with the owners.
"There was only ever going to be one winner there, as Liverpool have known many times in the past when their best players have, for whatever reason, decided they wanted to go.
"There will be some people concerned what the whole situation says about Isak’s character, but not me. Whatever happened behind the scenes at Newcastle has happened and it’s in the past now. It’s a fresh start for everyone."
Aldridge is also not concerned by how Isak's arrival might impact Hugo Ekitike, who has begun his Liverpool career brilliantly following his arrival from Frankfurt.
Ekitike has scored three goals in four appearances when lining up as a striker for his new club, but he will almost certainly not keep his place at the tip of Liverpool's attack following the signing of Isak.
"I wouldn’t be too worried about how Isak’s arrival will impact Hugo Ekitike," Aldridge said. "The French forward has been good since arriving at Liverpool, and his goals have already proven important.
"But he’s still young and adapting to a new league and country, and it would have been too much pressure to carry the burden of being centre forward largely by himself.
"What Liverpool now have is attacking options. Both Isak and Ekitike can play on the left or down the middle, they could operate as a pair and Ekitike could also go on the right or as a second striker."
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