Alan Shearer slams Alexander Isak in furious rant amid Liverpool transfer saga

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Alan Shearer has launched a scathing attack on Alexander Isak following the striker's absence from Newcastle's Premier League curtain-raiser against Aston Villa amid his pursuit of a switch to Liverpool. Isak has declined to feature for Newcastle in a bid to engineer his departure, after witnessing the club knock back Liverpool's initial approach earlier this month.

The Newcastle icon has condemned Isak's behaviour after the Magpies were held to a goalless stalemate by Aston Villa, branding the forward's refusal to play as "taking liberties", reports the Mirror. Speaking on BBC Match of the Day about the saga, Wayne Rooney commented: "I think he has to go about it the right way and I've been there myself, where I've asked to leave Manchester United."

Shearer then interrupted: "But you put in a transfer request. You didn't refuse to train, you didn't refuse to play, so there is a way to do it and Alex is not going about it the right way at all. You have to feel sorry for the players and the manager.

"The players today are busting a gut for the football club, for the thousands of fans that have travelled all that way to Villa Park. They're giving their all.

"Yet they're looking at another player, wherever he is, refusing to play despite having a three-year contract and on over £100,000-a-week. [The fans] are paying £60 or £70 for a ticket, £30 for petrol or a train ticket.

"You can imagine the anger that they're feeling that someone is taking the liberty of saying, 'I'm refusing to play'. You just can't do that when you've got a three-year contract.

"I also understand there's two sides to every story and we've never heard anything from him or his side yet, it's all leaks or reports. There is still a chance, albeit a small chance, that he could be integrated back into the team if he says sorry.

"It's unlikely that that's the case, but if it gets past the transfer deadline day and there's still an impasse and no one's budging and he's still at Newcastle, I can't see a way back then."

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe provided an update on Isak's situation following the match, declaring: "Nothing's changed. The door is well and truly open but he has to decide what he wants to do.

"We would like a resolution. The ownership, everyone, the players we have, want that clarity. You don't need any distraction. I'm not in control of that. There's only one person in control of that."