Michael Owen held back from openly criticising Alexander Isak’s conduct at Newcastle United, unlike many of his fellow pundits.

The Swedish forward has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool after expressing his desire to consider opportunities beyond St James’ Park. Over the past couple of weeks, the 25-year-old has faced widespread backlash for how he has approached the matter.

Isak skipped his team’s pre-season tour of Asia, choosing instead to train with former club Real Sociedad. Reports also suggest that he is now unwilling to play for Newcastle again, even if a transfer to Anfield doesn’t materialise before the September 1 deadline.

Yet, in an exclusive interview with Chronicle Live via 247Bet, Owen gave his take on the issue, resisting the route many pundits have taken in slamming Isak. The 45-year-old, who played for Newcastle between 2005 and 2009, said: “He’s made his position clear, hasn’t he?

“It’s obvious he wants out. Whether Newcastle fans can forgive and move on is another thing. I’m not sure. He’s been brilliant for them, they’ve won silverware, made it into the Champions League.

“He’s held up his end of the deal, no doubt, based on his comments. He seems to believe that’s enough—and that there were prior discussions implying he might be allowed to leave under certain conditions—but Newcastle aren’t engaging on those terms.”

He continued: “This kind of situation is fascinating because, most times, it’s the club forcing a move on a player, and no one complains—no one cares about families or children in school or any of that.

“When it’s the player wanting out, suddenly everyone loses their minds—how dare he try to push a transfer through? I won’t sit here and slate Isak.

“I wouldn’t have acted the same way, but I understand. He’s a top-level player trying to reach his peak and isn’t being granted the move he really wants. Careers are short, and he’s aiming to join possibly the world’s best team.

“I get where he’s coming from. It’s unfortunate that it’s being aired so publicly and he’s clearly taking a hit in terms of public image.”

Owen stands mostly alone in defending Isak, with numerous pundits criticising the striker’s behaviour over the last month. Speaking on Match of the Day to Wayne Rooney, who acknowledged being in a similar situation when leaving Manchester United, Alan Shearer said: “But you submitted a transfer request.

“You didn’t refuse to train, you didn’t refuse to play—there’s a right way to handle this and Isak’s not doing that. I feel for the manager and the squad.

“Those players are working their socks off for the badge, for thousands of fans travelling all the way to Villa Park. They’re giving 100%. Meanwhile, there’s a teammate, wherever he is, refusing to play despite having a contract and earning over £100,000 a week. [The fans] are forking out £60 or £70 per ticket, plus petrol or train fares.

“You can understand why they’re furious—someone’s taking advantage and saying, ‘I’m not going to play.’ You can’t act that way when you’ve still got years left on your deal.”

Similarly, Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher didn’t hold back in his iNews interview. He stated: “Transfers happen all the time, but I don’t believe a player should ever go nuclear—refusing to train or play. That might be what gets the move, sure, but I don’t like it.

“The club’s still paying your wages, they’ve treated you well, and you’ve done well for them—just keep training, keep playing, and let the deal happen.”

Liverpool have yet to come back with a second bid for Isak following their opening offer of £110 million plus bonuses, which Newcastle immediately turned down. It’s uncertain if the Reds will return with an improved proposal. Now that Isak has made his desire to leave public, Newcastle might be more flexible on their £150 million valuation.

Still, the Magpies will want a suitable replacement lined up before letting their star man depart. A move for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, who is said to be interested in a switch, remains stalled due to differing valuations.

Having kept quiet as the saga unfolded, Isak finally spoke out via Instagram on Tuesday night to share his version of events. He wrote: “I’ve stayed silent while others spoke. That silence has let people spin their own narrative, even though they know it’s not what was really agreed behind the scenes.

“The truth is that certain assurances were given, and the club has known where I stand for a long time. Acting like this is all new is disingenuous.

“When trust is broken and promises are ignored, the relationship can’t go on. That’s where things are for me—and why a move is best for everyone, not just myself.”