‘Can’t continue’: PL star breaks silence on stand-off as Salah claims historic award

Alexander Isak said his “relationship can’t continue” with Newcastle after being named in the 2024/25 Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Premier League team of the year.

Isak, who came second in the Golden Boot race behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah with 23 goals, was recognised for his outstanding campaign by being chosen alongside Salah and Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood as the forwards in the XI dominated by Liverpool and Arsenal players.

The 25-year-old Swede was absent from the awards ceremony, as he was from the Magpies 0-0 draw at Aston Villa on the weekend, as his transfer stand-off continues.

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Isak wants to play alongside Salah for real with a move to Anfield, and is currently staying away from Newcastle training and manager Eddie Howe’s matchday squads.

But the September 1 transfer deadline is fast-approaching with Newcastle unwilling to budge unless they can find a replacement striker, rejecting Liverpool’s initial £110 million bid (A$229.9 million), and Isak took to social media to provide an update on his thoughts on the ongoing saga.

“When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue,” he wrote.

“I’m proud to be recognised by my fellow professionals with a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for 2024/25.

“First and foremost I want to thank my teammates and everyone at Newcastle United who has supported me along the way.

“I’m not at the ceremony tonight. With everything going on, it didn’t feel right to be there.

“I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken. That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.

“The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.

“When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue. That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”

Salah meanwhile became the first player to win the men’s player of the year for a third time after guiding Liverpool to Premier League glory.

The Egyptian scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists to propel the Reds to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title with four games to spare last season.

Salah also scooped the award in the 2017/18 and 2021/22 seasons. The 33-year-old picked up the Football Writers’ Association and Premier League player of the year awards in recent months.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah poses with his PFA Players' Player of the Year Award at the PFA Awards 2025 at Manchester Opera House, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Manchester, England. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP) Source: AP

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers won young player the year following a breakthrough campaign that saw the attacking midfielder make his senior international debut for England.

Salah is joined in the team of the year by Liverpool teammates Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.

Milos Kerkez, who moved to Anfield from Bournemouth in June, is also selected, as are the Arsenal trio of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice.

Matz Sels and Chris Wood are recognised for their fine campaigns at Nottingham Forest, as well as Isak.

(From L to R) Liverpool's Hungarian defender Milos Kerkez, Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes, Arsenal's French defender William Saliba, Liverpool's Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, Arsenal's English midfielder Declan Rice, Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's Argentinian midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool's Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, Nottingham Forest's Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels and Nottingham Forest's New Zealand striker Chris Wood pose with their Mens's PFA Premier League team of the Year awards backstage during the 2024-2025 Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) awards, at the Opera House in Manchester, northern England, on August 19, 2025. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) Source: AFP

Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey won the women’s player of the year accolade after her role in helping the Gunners win the Champions League.

The Spanish midfielder scored 19 goals in all competitions, including eight in the Champions League, in her first season in England.

Olivia Smith recently joined Caldentey at Arsenal in a world-record £1 million (A$2.09 million) deal and won the women’s young player of the year prize following her superb season at Liverpool.

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