Exclusive: Alexander Isak Would Turn Down Shearer’s Iconic Number 9 Shirt, says Ex-Magpies Defender

Danny Simpson is adamant goal machine Alexander Isak would politely decline the chance to wear Newcastle United’s famous number 9 shirt worn by all-time Premier League great Alan Shearer.

Sweden international striker is on fire this season in the Premier League goal having bagged 19 goals in 24 games.

Second only in the scoring charts behind the prolific Mohamed Salah – 25 goals and 16 assists from 27 games – Isak is enjoying a season to savour.

Magpies’ legend Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time greatest striker with 260 goals, but Simpson believes Isak won’t want to change a thing this term given his unbelievable form and the club riding high in the top-flight and knowing victory over Liverpool in the League Cup final later this month would secure them their first domestic trophy since 1955.

“I don’t think he’ll want the number 9 shirt though,” Simpson told SportsBoom.com. 

“Players have a thing for certain numbers, if your number is going well then they don’t usually want to change."

“Look at Declan Rice, he kept 41 when he moved from West Ham to Arsenal."

“Look at Trent [Alexander-Arnold], he kept 66 and I can’t see him being a number two."

“I feel like sometimes you start with a number – and then that stays your number."

“I know number 9 is an iconic Newcastle shirt, but I think he’d have had it by now if he wanted it.”

Isak’s two goals on Sunday in a breathtaking 4-3 victory against Nottingham Forest saw the revered hitman join an elite group of players.

His second goal against Forest was his 50th Premier League goal, which he has achieved in an impressive 76 games.

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There are only six other players who have joined that exclusive club quicker – Erling Haaland (48 games), Andy Cole (65), Shearer (66), Ruud van Nistelrooy (68), Fernando Torres (72) and Salah (72).

Aged 25, it’s little surprise Simpson expects much more to come from Isak who, if he scores three more goals, will also better his most goals in a Premier League campaign.

“They’ve got a striker who gives the whole team confidence,” added Simpson, who won promotion to the Premier League with the Magpies and enjoyed three seasons in the top-flight with the Tyneside club. 

“I’ve experienced that before at previous clubs. Jamie Vardy was fantastic the season we [Leicester City] won the Premier League."

“When you’ve got someone like that [Isak], who is playing with so much confidence, it just breeds through the team."

“I’ve been saying if for ages, I knew how good he was."

“I used to buy him on Football Manager [the computer game], but that was a few years ago on the PC. I was buying him years ago."

“But he just looks like the complete package, doesn’t he?"

“He’s got a bit of arrogance, he’s got pace, he can hold the ball up, he’s strong and he can head it."

“He can tap it in, he can shoot from outside the box, he just looks like the complete number 9 at the moment, which is something you don’t really get to see these days.”