Opinion: Good business or dirty game? The two sides of football’s transfer market

 

Alexander Isak. Marc Guehi. Same destination, same window. Yet, the actions of the players and the reactions of those looking in reveals the two extremes of the Transfer Market, writes Saad Nazir.

“You will never be forgiven.”
“We will be better without you. Traitor.”

These were the words that echoed through social media and message boards as Alexander Isak forced his way out of Newcastle — in the wake of what had been his most prolific season yet.

It was a season that included a goal against his new team, Liverpool, in the Carabao Cup final win. Players have come and gone. Bigger and better players have left the clubs that gave them the platform to shine on the biggest stages. What made Isak’s departure such a tough one to take for his beloved fans?

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From the moment the transfer window opened, Guehi, just like Isak, was linked to a move to the reigning Premier League champions, Liverpool. His dream move was as good as done: personal terms agreed, medical tests completed, and a multi-year contract ready to be signed. The only thing left to do was for Crystal Palace to sign an able replacement.

But that replacement never came.

As weeks passed and the deadline loomed, Guehi made his stance clear. He would not walk out on the club that trusted him and made him the player he is today — not without leaving them covered. And so, with the ink dry on every document but missing his own signature, Guehi stayed.

Contrast that with Isak, who, despite assurances to Newcastle fans about “unfinished business,” switched off his phone, missed pre-season, and pushed for a move with days left in the window — all while the club scrambled to fill the void of their top scorer. In the end, Newcastle were left without a replacement, without a striker, and with a sour taste in their mouths.

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Marc Guehi’s reward for following a more fair-minded path than a string of big name strikers? No move to Liverpool. There was no strike action, no refusing to turn up for games and training.

This is the modern transfer market. Not just a battle of negotiation tables and signing bonuses — but a test of character. On one end there are players who understand the weight of the armband, the meaning of commitment, and the long memory of fans. On the other, players who are supremely talented, driven, but willing to burn bridges to get what they want. The quiet professional vs the abrupt, emotionally charged.

Liverpool may have won big this window — securing the league’s most coveted talent. But in the way the move unfolded, we saw the full spectrum of the modern transfer market.

Two players. Same destination. Same opportunity. But through their actions, they revealed what this chaotic window often hides behind the headlines: the transfer market isn’t just about buying and selling — it’s about values, choices, and the very human stories that fans never forget.

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