Liverpool told all about Alexander Isak's true character by those who know him best

The summer's most drawn-out transfer story has reached its conclusion with Liverpool emerging victorious.

Alexander Isak has finalised his British record $169 million switch to Anfield and will wear the Reds' No. 9 jersey. The striker penned a six-year deal on deadline day, bringing to a close a saga in which the Sweden international essentially engineered his exit from Newcastle United.

Consequently, Isak is unlikely to receive a warm reception upon any return to Tyneside in the foreseeable future, perhaps never, and he'll undoubtedly be grateful that the Reds have already fulfilled their fixture at St James' Park this campaign.

While he may now be deeply unpopular in Newcastle, his standing remains exceptionally high among those who have been instrumental in his development. Here's what those who have worked alongside the 25-year-old have had to say....

'Exactly the same person'

Numerous former mentors have lauded Isak's modest character, maintaining that his ascent to becoming one of Europe's most formidable forwards hasn't altered his personality.

Johnny Gustafsson, who guided Isak through the youth system at AIK Stockholm, has revealed that his Sweden colleagues, including Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, regard him with tremendous respect for his behavior away from football, as well as his performances on the field.

Speaking to The Guardian, he said: "They also say he's exactly the same person. His success has not changed him at all."

'Like a philosopher'

AIK's technical director, Peter Wennberg, echoed this sentiment, recalling a touching gesture from Isak during his time in the under-17s. He said: "He had to fill in an evaluation and made a point of thanking the kit managers. He never forgets. He's humble."

Wennberg also spoke to The Times about Isak's curious nature, saying: "Isak is like a philosopher. The other players, they think 'how' and 'when', but Alex asked every time, 'Why?' He wants the answers behind every movement and every tactical tweak. He has a need to understand. He has done everything with a higher purpose."

'So serious about his job'

Mikel Merino of Arsenal, who was a team-mate of Isak at Borussia Dortmund before they both flourished at Real Sociedad, speaks highly of Isak, both on and off the pitch, lauding his professionalism.

In a 2021 interview with CBS while they were both at Sociedad, Merino said: "I think he's a great player. I have the luck of being with him in Dortmund as well. We were there together for six months and when he came here to La Real, I was really surprised.

"I was really happy to see him, and we could talk a lot about our time in Dortmund. He's a big, big piece for us, he's doing great he's adapting really, really good here, everybody loves him in the dressing room.

"I think he speaks Spanish perfect, so that talks very good about him, the way he wants to adapt here, the way he's so serious about his job and about not only football, but being a good team-mate, being a professional."

After moving to Newcastle a year later, Merino echoed similar sentiments, telling The Athletic: "Alex has already started well. His mindset is very good. He can adapt to whatever you tell him.

"When he came here, he had to adapt to a very specific system of playing where he had a specific role to make an exact movement when the ball was in a certain position.

"Being from Sweden and being able to adapt showed how smart he is. With his abilities, his speed and strength, the Premier League is a good place for him."

'Stable and controlled'

As his protracted move to Liverpool progressed, Isak was in contact with his international manager, former Premier League striker Jon Dahl Tomasson. Despite the drawn-out saga, Tomasson insisted Isak was calm, composed and ready for the upcoming round of international action.

However, due to his recent lack of game time, he is unlikely to play a full match. The former Newcastle forward told Swedish media on Monday: "I spoke to Alex yesterday and this morning. We expect him here today.

"Alexander Isak is extremely professional and has a good mentality. He is very stable and controlled. We have no worries. He's not able to play for 90 minutes but he can be a game-changer."

Newcastle team-mates' hope

As the drama unfolded, Isak's Newcastle colleagues remained optimistic that the situation would be settled in their favour.

This demonstrated just how highly regarded he remained among his peers, despite his self-imposed absence from the squad. Speaking at the end of July, captain Dan Burn revealed that Isak's exit would "upset" the team.

He said: "If we lost any player, it would upset our tight-knit group that's been together for two or three years now. We're looking forward to getting Alex back when he's fit. It's a question for Alex to answer. He's obviously a big player for us."

Meanwhile, Bruno Guimaraes added: "Of course, he's a top player and we know everything going on around him but he's [staying at home] to do some physical treatment.

"We want to keep our best players, that's my point, and what I want to say is that I don't know what anyone has seen. He's a top striker, his last three seasons speak for themselves."