Alexander Isak expressed his gratitude to Newcastle United and the club's supporters on Tuesday after his British-record transfer to Liverpool, despite a trail of criticism and a frosty farewell from St James' Park.
Newcastle fans were left with a bitter taste on Monday as the English champions secured the 25-year-old for 125 million pounds ($168.86 million) after the Sweden striker's standoff with the club ended with burned bridges and frayed loyalties.
"I want to express my gratitude to my teammates, the staff, and above all, the city of Newcastle and all the amazing supporters for the three unforgettable years we shared together," Isak wrote on Instagram with comments on the post turned off.
"Together, we have written history and brought the club to the place where it truly belongs. It has been an honour to be part of the journey from reaching the Champions League to winning the first trophy in over 70 years. Forever grateful. Thank you, Newcastle."
Underscoring the chill over a once-celebrated relationship was Newcastle's terse 37-word statement 18 hours before his Instagram post, which confirmed the British record sale but omitted any mention of his goals or the League Cup trophy he helped them win last season.
The Newcastle United Supporters' Club wrote on X on Monday, "Whatever Alexander Isak goes on to achieve in his career, he will always be remembered for the way he has acted this summer. His behaviour has permanently destroyed his reputation in football."
Isak will feature for Sweden in their World Cup qualifiers away at Slovenia on Friday and Kosovo three days later, his first outings of the season after missing all of Newcastle's pre-season and league fixtures.
($1 = 0.7402 pounds)
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