Alexander Isak returned to St James’ Park with Liverpool on Sunday and discovered that the club-hero status he built during three seasons at Newcastle had not been included in his £125 million transfer.

The striker had once occupied a permanent place in the club’s recent history. His goal against Liverpool in the 2025 Carabao Cup final helped Newcastle secure their first major domestic trophy in 70 years, turning Isak into one of the most celebrated players on Tyneside.

That relationship changed during the following summer. Isak’s departure came after a public dispute with Newcastle and a period away from first-team preparations before Liverpool completed a British-record deal on deadline day.

His first return provided confirmation that supporters had processed the transfer.

Isak was met by deafening boos while stepping off Liverpool’s team bus, with Newcastle fans directing chants of “rat” towards their former striker. The 26-year-old wore AirPods as he entered the stadium before receiving a similarly hostile response throughout the match.

Any remaining affection was placed temporarily to one side as Isak struggled to influence a 2–2 draw. Liverpool eventually rescued a point through Dominik Szoboszlai’s penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

Andoni Iraola said Isak had expected the atmosphere and praised him for continuing to push despite an underwhelming performance. Newcastle supporters were equally committed to ensuring the nature of their revised relationship remained clear.

Isak’s goals and contribution to the club’s trophy history remain unchanged. Football’s definition of a hero, however, continues to depend heavily upon which shirt he is currently wearing.

Liverpool’s £125 million purchased Isak’s registration. It did not include the applause attached to his previous one.