The Peruvian legend feels that there is a way to leave a football club but Alexander Isak’s antics have wrecked his legacy on Tyneside
Nolberto Solano has told Alexander Isak he has tarnished his Newcastle United legacy – and insists he could have taken Alan Shearer’s crown at St James’ Park.
Shearer remains the club’s all-time leading scorer on 206 goals, many of them created by Solano, with Isak turning down the option of chasing him down and bowing out on 62 goals.
Like many Newcastle fans Solano watched on with disappointment as Isak refused to train or play for the Magpies to force his £130million move on deadline day, but feels his old club can still reach for the stars.
Solano told Chronicle Live: “Alex could have had it all – even Alan Shearer’s crown as the club’s record scorer!
“It’s not a good look for Alex this and when things settle down he will realise why Newcastle’s faithful fans feel insulted by his actions, and that’s what refusing to play is, insulting to the paying Geordie public.
“He was welcomed with open arms to the city like I was and many others, so I can see why fans are disappointed. At 25 and with three years left on his deal I think he could have got close to that because Newcastle would have gave him a job for life.
“The no.9 shirt was vacant and would have been his to take at Newcastle. Alex has looked after himself really and not the club or the fans.
“He’s made his own decision and he has looked at the financial side of it and his future when he stops playing. But he has tarnished his football legacy at Newcastle, make no doubt about that.”
However, Solano feels that loyalty in football and even long-term contracts that are signed with the best of intentions don’t stand for much in the modern game.
Solano said: “In the past 10 to 15 years signing a contract means very little because the moment more money comes into the mix, player power takes over, as we have seen in this window with Isak and many other players that have gone to Saudi Arabia for crazy money.
“I can see why a player would want to go to Liverpool because you have the chance to win the Premier League and trophies, but Newcastle won the Carabao Cup last year and are really starting to build things and they have the Champions League.”
Isak joins Arne Slot’s champions in a British record but will now have to live up to his £130m fee.
Solano said: “He goes to Liverpool and will be another player but could have been a God at Newcastle. It depends on his ambitions.
“Alan Shearer was the local lad living his dream and that’s why he turned down Man United to play for his boyhood team.
“People loved him for it, Alex obviously didn’t want it.
“Once the big money was talked about and his agent got involved, it felt like Alex was 100% ready to go.”
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