James Wilson
@jamesdavidwilson.bsky.social
Postdoctoral Fellow at the Zukunftskolleg of the University of Konstanz, Germany.
Another player Bayern wanted earlier in the summer. Hopefully it will all be over soon, and the fan bases can go back to treating each other with respect. I hope Woltemade does well for you!
August 28, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Another player Bayern wanted earlier in the summer. Hopefully it will all be over soon, and the fan bases can go back to treating each other with respect. I hope Woltemade does well for you!
Fair enough then. Sorry for jumping on it like that.
August 28, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Fair enough then. Sorry for jumping on it like that.
Like comparing apples and oranges. Wirtz is a creator. I am sure he makes many passes in training that VVD finds it hard to defend against (although I would like to see more evidence of this in competitive games - early days though).
August 28, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Like comparing apples and oranges. Wirtz is a creator. I am sure he makes many passes in training that VVD finds it hard to defend against (although I would like to see more evidence of this in competitive games - early days though).
They proposed a fee to start negotiations. We both know the final fee for Isak (if there is one) will be higher than with Wirtz. I just think it's unfair to characterise Wirtz as unproven.
August 28, 2025 at 5:09 PM
They proposed a fee to start negotiations. We both know the final fee for Isak (if there is one) will be higher than with Wirtz. I just think it's unfair to characterise Wirtz as unproven.
Obviously Isak is a good player, and Liverpool are willing to pay more for him than Wirtz (as they made clear). But you cannot compare Isak's trophy haul at 25/26 to Wirtz at 22/23. Wirtz has by far the better pedigree.
August 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Obviously Isak is a good player, and Liverpool are willing to pay more for him than Wirtz (as they made clear). But you cannot compare Isak's trophy haul at 25/26 to Wirtz at 22/23. Wirtz has by far the better pedigree.
Wirtz won the Bundesliga with Leverkusen. They went unbeaten all year in the league and cups, and he was their best player. And he‘s 3 years younger than Isak. LFC would be happy to use Wirtz as a precedent for Isak‘s transfer.
August 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Wirtz won the Bundesliga with Leverkusen. They went unbeaten all year in the league and cups, and he was their best player. And he‘s 3 years younger than Isak. LFC would be happy to use Wirtz as a precedent for Isak‘s transfer.
I agree that NUFC and PIF will do what is in their best interests. In some scenarios, keeping Isak is in their best interests. These increasingly panicked bids for sub-par players at the end of the window is not a sign of good planning.
Your original point is right though, time is running out.
Your original point is right though, time is running out.
August 27, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I agree that NUFC and PIF will do what is in their best interests. In some scenarios, keeping Isak is in their best interests. These increasingly panicked bids for sub-par players at the end of the window is not a sign of good planning.
Your original point is right though, time is running out.
Your original point is right though, time is running out.
All options are still possible. At the moment, people are just guessing about who is bluffing most successfully at this present point in time.
August 27, 2025 at 9:05 AM
All options are still possible. At the moment, people are just guessing about who is bluffing most successfully at this present point in time.
Yes, this was always a risk. But Wirtz is 22 and Salah is 33. There is a need to balance the long term benefit against short term wins.
August 27, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Yes, this was always a risk. But Wirtz is 22 and Salah is 33. There is a need to balance the long term benefit against short term wins.
Right, but Liverpool have to balance long-term with the short term. And the football strategy team are paid to get these decisions right (signing Ekitike over Sesko for example).
August 27, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Right, but Liverpool have to balance long-term with the short term. And the football strategy team are paid to get these decisions right (signing Ekitike over Sesko for example).
If Man Utd sign good players they will improve. Liverpool are trying to take commercial deals from Utd at the moment, by presenting themselves as the biggest/best club in England.
August 27, 2025 at 8:16 AM
If Man Utd sign good players they will improve. Liverpool are trying to take commercial deals from Utd at the moment, by presenting themselves as the biggest/best club in England.
Another possible future: Newcastle would like to sell Isak. They know how difficult it will be reintegrating Isak (dressing room issues - see start of last season, and declining value). They are therefore willing to overpay to sign Strand Larsen and Wissa before the deadline. Then sell Isak to LFC.
August 27, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Another possible future: Newcastle would like to sell Isak. They know how difficult it will be reintegrating Isak (dressing room issues - see start of last season, and declining value). They are therefore willing to overpay to sign Strand Larsen and Wissa before the deadline. Then sell Isak to LFC.
An alternate version: Man Utd moved late for Ekitiké. Newcastle had no agreement on the player side, and may have been beaten to him by Man United. Liverpool did not want to see a rival get such a good player, so pulled the trigger on the move. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Liverpool sign Hugo Ekitiké in £79m deal after fending off late Manchester United bid
The French forward Hugo Ekitiké has signed a six-year deal with the league champions after Liverpool fended off a late attempt by Manchester United to hijack the move
www.theguardian.com
August 27, 2025 at 8:09 AM
An alternate version: Man Utd moved late for Ekitiké. Newcastle had no agreement on the player side, and may have been beaten to him by Man United. Liverpool did not want to see a rival get such a good player, so pulled the trigger on the move. www.theguardian.com/football/202...
He could be reintergrated, but it will never be the same again. Now all the club can do is defend themselves as much as possible. Replace him, preferably as soon as possible, then extract maximum value.
August 21, 2025 at 8:50 PM
He could be reintergrated, but it will never be the same again. Now all the club can do is defend themselves as much as possible. Replace him, preferably as soon as possible, then extract maximum value.
Agree for the most part. Agents will always chase money. But I do think he may also have told Newcastle and Howe at the start of the summer, and the club underestimated how far he was willing to go to rock the boat. And ultimately, he is responsible for what he does. His name is under that statement
August 21, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Agree for the most part. Agents will always chase money. But I do think he may also have told Newcastle and Howe at the start of the summer, and the club underestimated how far he was willing to go to rock the boat. And ultimately, he is responsible for what he does. His name is under that statement
Agreed. It's always sad when things work out this way. It was Torres for Chelsea for me. After that, you can only trust they players after they sign two new contracts (Salah and VVD).
August 21, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Agreed. It's always sad when things work out this way. It was Torres for Chelsea for me. After that, you can only trust they players after they sign two new contracts (Salah and VVD).
Fair enough. But the club have also have to take responsibility for the position they find themselves in. They have left themselves with no good options. And even keeping an unmotivated Isak may do more harm than good in the end.
August 21, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Fair enough. But the club have also have to take responsibility for the position they find themselves in. They have left themselves with no good options. And even keeping an unmotivated Isak may do more harm than good in the end.
I understand this from NUFC perspective, but not that of the player. He will need to be given incentive to come pack and apologise to everyone. Other similar examples (VVD, Coutinho, Suarez, Kane) have all need some form of compromise from the clubs on this point. And reintegration started sooner.
August 21, 2025 at 8:01 PM
I understand this from NUFC perspective, but not that of the player. He will need to be given incentive to come pack and apologise to everyone. Other similar examples (VVD, Coutinho, Suarez, Kane) have all need some form of compromise from the clubs on this point. And reintegration started sooner.
I think the timeline would be important. 1) You're staying until January is far easier to swallow than, 2) you're staying until next season. Any potential decline in value due to lack of motivation is easier to explain away then too.
August 21, 2025 at 7:11 PM
I think the timeline would be important. 1) You're staying until January is far easier to swallow than, 2) you're staying until next season. Any potential decline in value due to lack of motivation is easier to explain away then too.
And PIF's response was not he is not for sale. It's he is for sale under the right conditions - but we do not envisage these conditions being met. This continued mixed message has also helped drive the transfer 'saga', just as much as Isak's antics.
August 21, 2025 at 6:53 PM
And PIF's response was not he is not for sale. It's he is for sale under the right conditions - but we do not envisage these conditions being met. This continued mixed message has also helped drive the transfer 'saga', just as much as Isak's antics.
In the other examples when players have not got their move, there clubs provided them with a future exit route. The same will have to happen with Isak, or he will (probably) just go on strike again in January.
August 21, 2025 at 6:51 PM
In the other examples when players have not got their move, there clubs provided them with a future exit route. The same will have to happen with Isak, or he will (probably) just go on strike again in January.