Player power fallout as Isak and Wissa secure moves after training refusals
Two high-profile striker transfers after training walkouts prompt sharp debate between pundits over player leverage and club conduct
Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa both secured high-value transfers this summer after refusing to train and issuing public statements demanding moves, prompting a ferocious debate among former players, pundits and supporters about the acceptability and consequences of such tactics.
Isak completed a club-record move to Liverpool on deadline day for £125 million after telling Newcastle United two days before the transfer window closed that promises had been "broken" and that their "relationship couldn't continue". Wissa left Brentford for Newcastle in a separate deal worth about £55 million following a similar stand-off in which he and his representatives pressed for a transfer.
The contrasting consequences for other players who did not push publicly underlined the contentious nature of the summer's business. England defender Marc Guehi, who continued training and playing for Crystal Palace while negotiations reportedly took place, saw a potential move to Liverpool collapse and earned widespread praise for his professionalism from sections of the media and fanbase.
Commentary on the conduct of the players and clubs split sharply. Former Blackburn and Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton described the actions of Isak and Wissa as "despicable," "disgraceful" and "disrespectful" during broadcast discussion. By contrast, former England goalkeeper Joe Hart argued on BBC Radio 5 Live that clubs had a history of treating players unfairly, saying clubs "have stomped all over players" in the past, and noting that the players' tactics ultimately secured the outcomes they sought.
Those competing views were reflected in wider coverage and on social media, where some observers warned that high-profile successful transfer bids achieved through public pressure could encourage copycat behaviour, while others questioned whether criticism of players ignored power imbalances between clubs and individuals.
Clubs and agents played central roles in the negotiations. Newcastle, having sold Isak to Liverpool, moved quickly to replace him by signing Wissa. Clubs have increasingly used formal and informal channels to complete complex deals before deadlines, and this summer's business once again highlighted the speed and opacity of negotiations that often resolve in the final days and hours of the transfer window.
The timing and manner of Isak's statement — issued days before the deadline — prompted scrutiny of the communications strategies employed by players and their representatives. Isak said publicly that his relationship with Newcastle could not continue after promises were not honoured; Newcastle accepted the player's position and negotiated a deal with Liverpool. Wissa's departure from Brentford followed a pattern in which a player refuses to train to accelerate a transfer, an approach that has drawn criticism for undermining squad unity but has also been effective.
The episode revived longer-running debates about the balance of power in modern football, contract sanctity and the ethics of using public pressure to force transfers. Supporters' groups, club executives and governing bodies have historically differed on whether and how to regulate player conduct during transfer windows. Some argue that tighter rules or clearer norms are needed to protect squad integrity, while others warn that restricting player agency would amplify existing inequalities.
As clubs adapt to the financial and sporting pressures of the transfer market, the outcomes of this window are likely to inform behaviour in future windows. The immediate effect for the clubs involved was swift roster reshaping on deadline day: Liverpool bolstered its attacking options with Isak, Newcastle reinvested in a forward, and Crystal Palace retained a defender praised for his professionalism.
Debate among pundits and supporters is expected to continue as more information emerges about the negotiations and the internal dealings of the clubs. For now, the summer has underscored that, whether condemned or defended, public transfer pressure can produce results and reshape squads within hours of transfer deadlines.