Newcastle United defeated Tottenham 2-1 on Saturday, ranking fifth in the league table and leading Manchester United by a significant margin of 13 points. The team's forward, Alexander Isak, scored another goal, bringing his total to 13 in the Premier League this season. In the summer transfer window of 2022, the Red Devils had the opportunity to sign the Swedish striker but instead opted to acquire Antony at a higher price, a decision that has been criticized. However, according to Spanish media reports, it was not that Manchester United did not want to buy Isak; rather, Isak himself rejected Ten Hag's offer and chose Newcastle.
Isak also scored against Manchester United in the previous round, attracting attention from top clubs with his performances in La Liga and the 2020 European Championship. The Red Devils made an offer, but to their surprise, Isak preferred to play for the less renowned Newcastle over accepting the olive branch from Old Trafford.
Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" reported that in the summer of 2022, Manchester United presented an "attractive offer," which Isak and his agent team firmly rejected, leaving the Red Devils without the chance to negotiate with his former club, Real Sociedad.
It is well-known that, although it does not conform to regulations, most clubs will first approach the player before a transfer. Manchester United invited Isak, but he believed that the Theater of Dreams has become a black hole for stars and is not suitable for his further development, so he declined the offer.
After learning of his decision, Manchester United withdrew their offer, while Newcastle offered 50 million euros, which was rejected, then increased their bid to 70 million euros, with 65 million as a fixed amount and 5 million as a variable clause, ultimately completing a record-breaking transfer for the club. It is worth noting that the person who completed this transfer deal was Dan Ashworth, the then-sports director of Newcastle, who was recently fired by Manchester United.
Although the 70 million euros was lower than Isak's then 90 million euro release clause, his agent insisted that Isak join the "Magpies" rather than the "Red Devils." Despite earning only 120,000 pounds per week at Newcastle, significantly less than the 200,000 pounds per week that Manchester United pays Antony, it seems that he made the right choice.
Currently, Isak is thriving in the Premier League, scoring 49 goals in 88 games. Last season, he scored 21 goals in the Premier League, a feat that no one at Manchester United has achieved since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. The last Manchester United player to score 20 goals in the Premier League was Robin van Persie in the 2012/13 season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic came closest to achieving this, but unfortunately, a serious injury at the end of the season prevented him from reaching the target. Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes' 18 goals are already the highest tally for Manchester United players.
After missing out on Isak, Manchester United splashed out 100 million euros to forcibly purchase winger Antony from Ajax, followed by signing central forwards Hloren and Zirkzee in the next two seasons, spending nearly 200 million in total. However, the development of these players has not been ideal, and their combined goal tally is not even close to Isak's individual total.
Now, Newcastle has set a price tag of 150 million pounds on Isak, and head coach Eddie Howe and the coaching staff have formulated a scientific development model for him. In the first six games of this season, Isak struggled, scoring only one goal. Eddie Howe regularly holds one-on-one meetings with him to remind and motivate him not to let down the love of the St. James' Park fans. Since October, Isak has exploded, scoring in all but three of his last 13 games.
Meanwhile, Manchester United has embarked on a new search for a forward, with several well-known strikers being considered, but the supporters still harbor doubts, fearing that new signings may struggle to adapt and become victims of the club's curse.