Wayne Rooney raises concerns over Liverpool's attempt to sign Alexander Isak

Wayne Rooney has laid into Alexander Isak and questioned if he is the "sort of player" Liverpool will want in their dressing room after his recent actions. Isak has refused to play for Newcastle in an attempt to force through a move to Liverpool.

The Swedish striker did not go on Newcastle's pre-season tour and has been training alone after the Magpies rejected an opening bid from Liverpool earlier this month. After missing their 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday, Newcastle fans took aim at Isak with a chant of "There's only one greedy b******".

And Rooney believes Isak's attempts to force Newcastle to sell could backfire on him. "The Geordies are a passionate fanbase, it's going to be hard for him to come back," Rooney said on BBC Match of the Day.

"But also for his teammates, I think as a teammate you expect your teammates to come and train every day to give everything on the training pitch and when you pull the shirt on to go and play.

"The fact that he is refusing to come in and train is very difficult for him to come back. He's just gone about it in the wrong way. Maybe he's getting advised wrongly. But also for Liverpool, you have to wonder if that is the sort of player you want.

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"Someone who is going to desert his teammates and walk away from a huge football club. It's a good opportunity to go to Liverpool, but it has to be done in the right way."

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, though, has claimed that there is still a way back for Isak at St James' Park. "Nothing's changed," Howe told reporters after Newcastle's draw with Villa.

"The door is well and truly open but he has to decide what he wants to do. We would like a resolution. The ownership, everyone, the players we have, want that clarity. You don't need any distraction.

"I'm not in control of that. There's only one person in control of that. Alex is in control of what he does. I'm not in control of him.

"We're actively looking in the market. We're working hard to bring players in, more out of hope than expectation."

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