A sports lawyer has explained whether Alexander Isak could legally terminate his Newcastle United contract in order to force a transfer to Liverpool.
On Tuesday night, Isak posted a bombshell statement on Instagram, accusing Newcastle of failing to keep promises made about his future and claiming that his relationship with the club is beyond repair. He also made it clear he wants to leave.
Liverpool, who had a £110 million offer for the Swedish striker rejected earlier this summer, remain strongly linked with him. Newcastle are reportedly holding out for at least £150 million, and the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has claimed Isak is effectively “on strike” amid the ongoing speculation.
The 25-year-old was left out of Newcastle’s recent goalless draw against Aston Villa and is currently training away from the first team. This has sparked questions over whether he may be in breach of his contract, especially considering he’s under contract until 2028 and reportedly earns £120,000 per week.
In the short term, Newcastle could simply freeze him out of the squad until the January transfer window. Legally, the club also has the option to fine him two weeks’ wages for a first disciplinary offense, and up to four weeks’ wages for repeat offenses, according to solicitor Gareth Farrelly via Sky News.
SPORTbible spoke with Max Shephard, a barrister who specializes in sports law, to assess whether Isak could unilaterally terminate his deal under FIFA regulations.
Shephard explained that under Articles 14 to 17 of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, a player can only unilaterally terminate a contract mid-season if there is “just cause”—for example, unpaid wages or a serious contractual breach by the club.
Shephard warned that this is a legally risky move for any player unless there’s strong evidence, and that terminating without just cause could result in Isak being liable to pay compensation. This might include unpaid wages, replacement costs, the player’s market value, and potentially legal fees if the dispute goes to a tribunal.
For someone of Isak’s stature, Shephard emphasized, the financial consequences of an unjustified termination would be “severe.”
He added that while Newcastle do have disciplinary options if a player refuses to train or play, including fines or suspensions, they’re unlikely to terminate the contract of such a valuable asset. Legally, the club has the upper hand, but practically, keeping an unhappy player could harm squad morale and prove costly in other ways.
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