'Sickening' - Alexander Isak warned he is 'killing the squad' at Newcastle as striker continues to push for Liverpool transfer

Former Manchester United and Newcastle star Nicky Butt has laid into Isak as he tries to force a way out of St James' Park. The Sweden international has reportedly refused to play for Eddie Howe's side as he trains away from the first team - which has prompted Butt to call out the 25-year-old's "sickening" behaviour.

He told BetMGM: "People make mistakes. I seem to remember Wayne Rooney having rumours around him and he stayed and went on to become Manchester United’s record goalscorer – but the way this one [the Isak situation] has gone on, it would have been 'see you later'. When the player is repeatedly saying it – and he has been for two or three weeks now, [Alexander] Isak – it’s just different. It isn’t one quote that he didn’t mean, so he would have been moved on by now. I hope that Newcastle do that. They’re an amazing, big football club with an unbelievable fanbase. They’ve given him the platform to become the superstar he is now and changed his and his family’s lives. I think the way he’s behaved is sickening, really, but I do think he will get his move to Liverpool."

Butt added: "It’s really messy. He’s obviously got his reasons but I would hate it… hate that he thought I wasn’t good enough for him to play with me. It wouldn’t happen in the changing rooms that I was in. You’d maybe let it go once or twice. But the way this one has gone on is too far. I actually think the senior players, the leadership team, should go to the club and say they don’t want him around. It’s killing the squad; the way he is behaving is so selfish. Football is a job sometimes for these lads, no more than that. He’s not from Newcastle, he’s not a Geordie, he’s just thinking about his next move and how he gets to his dream – winning the Champions League or whatever it may be. He’s got his reasons but there are ways of going about these things.”

Isak is intent on joining Liverpool but it will take a Premier League record fee to convince Newcastle to sell him. The former Real Sociedad man has gone from being a club icon, after helping the Magpies beat Liverpool to win the Carabao Cup earlier this year, to public enemy number one with his wantaway actions. To make matters worse, this comes during a summer where Newcastle have repeatedly missed out on top transfer targets.

Time is running out for all three parties to agree on a transfer, with less than three weeks of the summer window remaining. It is up in the air whether or not Liverpool meet Newcastle's price tag or if Isak will remain in exile at the Magpies.