Jose Mourinho makes feelings clear on Alexander Isak’s bitter Newcastle exit

Jose Mourinho has weighed in on Alexander Isak’s summer saga ahead of Benfica’s Champions League clash with Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Tuesday evening

Jose Mourinho has lavished praise on Eddie Howe and the Newcastle United squad for the manner in which they handled the Alexander Isak saga in the summer. The 26-year-old downed tools and refused to play or train in a bid to secure a £130m transfer to Liverpool.

The Magpies were left without a striker and little time to find a replacement as the transfer window drew to a close. The former Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United boss believes Newcastle have bounced back pretty well from the Isak episode.

Speaking at St. James’ Park ahead of Benfica’s clash against the Magpies in the Champions League, Mourinho singled out Nick Woltemade as a major threat. He said: “What happened with Isak in the summer is very difficult for a club and very difficult for a coach, and very difficult for the fellow players.

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“I think in the end everybody knows he is going to leave to Liverpool. But one thing is everybody knows he is going to leave, and another is it is done.

“When it is done you can move on, when it is done you can have a new player and when you have a new player you can start to train and adapt to play with the new player because of course Isak and Nick Woltemade are different players.”

Mourinho, who has been involved in his fair share of transfer sagas across his career, clearly felt some sympathy for his counterpart, given the acrimonious nature of Isak’s departure. Had that not transpired, he could’ve found himself going up against the Swede on Tuesday evening instead of Woltemade, who has hit the ground running while Isak has struggled to make his mark at Liverpool.

Woltemade heads into Wednesday night’s clash fresh from netting another goal against Brighton to bring his season’s tally across all competitions to seven strikes. Mourinho, who charmed the Tyneside press during an enthralling 30-minute news conference, added: “There is always a transition, but it looks like this boy has been playing here all his life.

“Because he is performing, adapting and loved by the fans. Newcastle are doing things right, doing things right.”

Mourinho, who began his career as a translator and assistant to Newcastle legend Sir Bobby Robson, expressed his fondness for St James’ Park and the fervent Geordie crowd. The Benfica boss said: “It is a fantastic place to play football. People do not come here to watch the game; they come here to play it with them.

“It’s not just the stadium, it’s the club, the history, the passion and the fans. The economic power they have to have the team that they have, to win a trophy, two seasons in the Champions League.

“It is a team that is very close to even bigger things. It is a very different club because of the culture of the city in this region.

“It is different culturally to London, Manchester and other clubs in England. I love playing here.

“I said that to the players, even as an opponent, it is beautiful, the atmosphere you will feel that, you will see that tomorrow evening.”

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