‘We are professional’ - Joelinton makes Newcastle United & Alexander Isak claim after transfer ‘noise’
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Newcastle United latest news: Joelinton has spoken about Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool.
Joelinton has opened up on Alexander Isak’s move to Liverpool and the mood within the squad following a very busy summer transfer window at St James’ Park. A late flurry of activity saw Isak leave to join Liverpool in a £130m deal before Newcastle United signed both Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa in the final few days of the window.
Jacob Ramsey, Aaron Ramsdale, Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw had all joined the club earlier in the summer as Eddie Howe reshaped a squad that was in desperate need of refreshing after a lean 18 months on the transfer front. The saga surrounding Isak throughout the summer overshadowed their pre-season preparations and their first few Premier League outings.
Joelinton opens up on Alexander Isak transfer
Losing a player like Isak and the goals he contributed to the team is a blow for any club, but it was the manner of his departure that will rankle with supporters. A number of players, including Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes, have spoken about the Swedish international’s departure following his move to Anfield and now Joelinton has had his say on his former teammate.
“We are professional,” he responded when asked about how the events this summer have impacted the club. “We come back to the club [after summer] to do our best.
“We had a good pre-season. We know the noise around, but we are professional. We kept the focus and do what we have to do on the pitch and everyone has done well.
“We wish Alex the best. He did well for the club and now he's gone and we have to focus on the players that are here in the squad and keep going.”
Isak’s departure has coincided with Newcastle United's struggles in-front of goal. The Magpies have scored just three Premier League goals in their five matches so far this season.
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Four goals in midweek, two courtesy of Joelinton, will boost their confidence in-front of goal and the Brazilian believes that he and his teammates will get back to scoring regularly again very soon: “We always create a lot of chances and always score goals with different players,” Joelinton continued.
“We didn't start the season in the way we wanted but I hope we can get the confidence from the [Bradford City] game and keep evolving and create more chances for our front players.
“Every time we step on the pitch we want to play our best football. Sometimes it doesn’t happen but that's normal.
“We have a strong squad this year. Everyone's going to be important, so it's a push for everybody to do their best every day at the training ground and in the games. We hope we can push even harder this year.”
The busy fixture schedule continues for Newcastle United as they host Arsenal on Sunday before travelling to Belgium for their first Champions League away game of the campaign. Union Saint-Gilloise are their opponents in Brussels on Wednesday.
The Magpies will then return to Tyneside to face Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest on Sunday 5 October before international football once again takes centre stage.