“For me, Alex is not just a footballer” - Alexander Isak’s Sweden and Newcastle teammate on dressing room rumours after Liverpool switch

Newcastle United defender Emil Krafth has opened up on dressing room rumours regarding Alexander Isak, who secured a British record move to Liverpool this summer. The Swedish forward secured a £125 million move to Anfield on transfer deadline day after a long-drawn saga surrounding his future.

Isak's Sweden teammate Emil Krafth, who also shared the dressing room with the striker at Newcastle United, has spoken about the transfer saga. He has insisted that the media portrayed a wrong picture throughout the summer regarding the dressing room situation.

Krafth has claimed that Newcastle United players do not have any animosity towards Isak. He has claimed that players understand one another's situation well and also wished him luck at Liverpool. Krafth told Sportbladet:

"There were many who wanted to see Alex stay, but you understand how football works. I wish him all the best in the future. For me, Alex is not just a footballer, but a close friend too."

Krafth added:

"The media wrote that the locker room would be divided. That is certainly not true. Football players understand football players, and we can only wish him the best of luck. As Anthony [Elanga] said, it has been very chill. No one has said or done anything. It is just taken out of thin air."

The versatile defender concluded:

"You understand his and the club's situation. Of course, they would have wanted to keep him, he is an incredibly good football player."

Expectations will be massive from Alexander Isak following his British record move to Liverpool this summer. Since joining Newcastle United in 2022 in a club-record £63 million deal from Real Sociedad, he established himself as one of the best strikers in the Premier League.

Isak made 109 appearances for the Magpies scoring 62 goals and providing 11 assists. He shares a strong bond with Krafth and has shared the pitch on 50 occasions for club and country.

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Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate jokes about Kylian Mbappe pushing him to join Real Madrid

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has made a joke when he was asked whether Kylian Mbappe is urging him to join Real Madrid. The towering centre-back has joked that the Real Madrid striker calls him every two hours for joining Los Blancos. The 26-year-old said, via Football on TNT Sports:

"Mbappe pressuring me to join Real Madrid? He calls me every two hours!"

Liverpool are sweating over Konte's future for quite a while now with the defender having entered the last year of his contract. He has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid on a free transfer next summer.

Konate has been an important player for the Merseyside giants since joining the club in a reported £36 million deal from RB Leipzig in 2021. He has made 136 appearances for Liverpool so far and has won five trophies, including the Premier League title last season.