When footballers demand out the drama hits harder than the goals

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It is one of football’s most familiar dramas. And right now, in North East England, a team find themselves caught in this age-old cycle with their Swedish forward, Alexander Isak, at the centre of it.

In 2022, when Newcastle splashed £63 million on Isak from Real Sociedad, eyebrows were raised. Was this young forward really worth it? Two seasons on, the answer is clear. Isak has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s most lethal finishers, scoring 54 goals in 86 appearances for the Magpies and delivering silverware with an EFL Cup triumph over Liverpool in March 2025.

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Just months after securing their first domestic trophy since 1954, Newcastle – a club that once housed Nigerians like Shola Ameobi, Celestine Babayaro, and Obafemi Martins, now find themselves in a battle not only with rivals, but with their own striker, in one of football’s most familiar dramas.

“I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken. That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors. The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.”

Isak’s statement, made public on Tuesday, 19 August, came after Liverpool had a £110m bid rejected by Newcastle earlier in the summer. His case is the latest reminder of a truth fans know too well: when a player’s ambitions shift, the balance of power tilts. Football history, African and European alike is filled with examples.

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The African Connection

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s departure from Borussia Dortmund in 2018 was a classic case of a star determined to dictate his own destiny. The Gabonese striker, once the club’s talisman and adored by fans, grew restless when Arsenal — and the Premier League came calling. According to then-manager Peter Stöger, Aubameyang even skipped team meetings and training sessions to force the move. In the end, Dortmund relented, selling him to Arsenal for a then club-record £56 million.

Riyad Mahrez had become the symbol of Leicester City’s fairytale rise, dazzling on the wing as the Foxes crafted one of football’s most remarkable stories by winning the Premier League in 2016. But by 2018, Manchester City’s interest had captured his attention. The Algerian submitted a transfer request in a bid to force the move his second attempt after also handing in a request at the end of the 2016-17 season, when Leicester rejected a bid from Roma. Leicester’s resistance didn’t last. By the summer, Mahrez was on his way, swapping the Foxes for Pep Guardiola’s powerhouse in a £60 million deal.

Sadio Mané’s case was less chaotic but no less deliberate. In 2016, after Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool came calling, the Senegalese forward pushed Southampton for an exit. He declined a contract extension, leaving the club with little leverage. The Saints eventually gave way, and Mané went on to become a key figure in Liverpool’s legendary attacking trio alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, helping the Reds secure both Champions League and Premier League glory.

Even Didier Drogba, one of Africa’s finest, wasn’t immune to the storm of a forced exit saga. In 2008, following José Mourinho’s departure, the Ivorian declared the club “broken” and expressed his desire to leave. Yet in a rare twist, Drogba stayed four more years at Chelsea, culminating in the unforgettable Champions League triumph in Munich in 2012.

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Conclusion

It’s easy to cast footballers as villains in these sagas, but clubs aren’t helpless victims. Newcastle, for instance, see Isak as central to their project, and letting him leave under pressure could damage their credibility. Yet keeping an unhappy star can poison the dressing room.

History offers plenty of examples: Liverpool sold Luis Suárez in 2014 because he was determined to leave; Tottenham allowed Gareth Bale to join Madrid in 2013 after weeks of him refusing to play; Marcus Rashford indicated in December 2024 that he wanted a new challenge at United; and Leicester eventually gave in on Mahrez when his absence began to drag morale down.

For fans, these departures feel personal. After all, they invest passion and support to make players feel at home, so a sudden desire to leave often sparks frustration.

Decades ago, clubs held nearly all the power, with contracts keeping players tied down. The Bosman ruling of 1995 changed everything, granting players far more freedom. Coupled with the rise of super-agents and social media, today’s stars can dictate terms like never before. Clubs can resist, but history shows that when a top player truly wants out, he usually gets his way.