Liverpool have now agreed a deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United
Talks regarding Alexander Isak’s potential move from Newcastle United to Liverpool are ramping up ahead of tomorrow’s transfer deadline.
Negotiations for Isak are centred on Newcastle’s expectations of a deal worth around £130million ($176m).
Liverpool saw a £110million ($149m) bid for Isak turned down earlier in the summer, having previously indicated their willingness to do a deal for £120m.
Newcastle have been proceeding with scenario planning in recent days under the impression that this move will happen.
Isak wants to leave Newcastle and has no desire to reintegrate into the squad. The Sweden international has sat out Newcastle’s opening three games of the season and has been training away from the rest of the squad since July.
On August 19, he released a statement claiming promises had been broken” by Newcastle and “the relationship can’t continue”.
In response, a “disappointed” Newcastle insisted that “no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave” this summer, and said they “do not foresee” the conditions of a sale being met before the September 1 transfer deadline.
Sweden striker Isak has publicly stated his desire to leave Newcastle (Michael Campanella/Getty Images)
Before Newcastle’s Liverpool defeat by Liverpool last weekend, a boardroom-level delegation visited Isak at his home west of Newcastle. Jamie Reuben, the minority owner, and a contingent from PIF, including Jacobo Solis, who is on the club’s board of directors, were present for talks with the 25-year-old – the outcome of which is not known.
Newcastle rejected a bid of £110million from Liverpool for Isak on August 1. The day before, he returned to the UK and began training alone at Newcastle’s facilities – having trained individually with his former club, Real Sociedad, during the club’s the pre-season tour of Asia.
Newcastle’s stance throughout the saga has been that they do not intend to sell Isak, but they have scoured the market for potential strikers.
Nick Woltemade has successfully been signed from Stuttgart for a club-record €70million (£60m, $81m).
Their latest offer for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa – worth £35million ($47.2m), plus £5m in what were described as “difficult-to-achieve” add-ons – was rejected on August 20, while they have seen two bids for Jorgen Strand Larsen – of £50m and £55m – turned down by Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Newcastle attempted to recruit RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in Isak’s place but the Slovenia international joined Manchester United on August 9, while they also pursued Hugo Ekitike before he joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Newcastle will compete in the Champions League next season and have tried to tie Isak to an improved contract with his current terms running through to 2028, but the striker’s stance of wanting to leave has been made clear to the club for some time.
Isak continued to prove himself as one of Europe’s most prolific strikers last season, scoring 27 goals in 42 appearances for Eddie Howe’s side, and finishing as the Premier League’s second-highest goalscorer behind Mohamed Salah.
Speaking after his side’s stoppage-time defeat by Liverpool, Howe called for “clarity” and said he is focussed on the players “that want to play” for the club.
“I’ve not been party to talks on this for a long time now. I’ve been preparing the team and giving all my energy to the players that want to play for Newcastle. I think that is where my energy is best put at the moment,” Howe said.“We want clarity, we want to move forward, we want the narrative to change because we’re in the start of the season now.”
Wolves’ Strand Larsen is a Newcastle target (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
“I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken,” Isak wrote on Instagram after being named in the PFA Team of the Season on August 19.
“That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.
“The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.
“When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue. That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”
In response, a Newcastle statement read: “We are clear in response that Alex remains under contract and that no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer.
“We want to keep our best players, but we also understand players have their own wishes and we listen to their views.
“As explained to Alex and his representatives, we must always take into consideration the best interests of Newcastle United, the team and our supporters in all decisions and we have been clear that the conditions of a sale this summer have not transpired. We do not foresee those conditions being met.”
Liverpool are expected to have plenty of headroom with the Premier League profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) for 2025-26 with The Athletic estimating a comfortably profitable 2024-25 season.
What makes Isak such a highly-valued player?
Analysis by senior data writer Mark Carey
A return of 23 league goals last season was a career best for Isak, becoming the first Newcastle player to score in eight consecutive Premier League games — beating the previous seven-game record held by Alan Shearer (1996-97) and Joe Willock (2020-21).
Newcastle knew they were onto a winner when Isak scored on his debut against Liverpool in August 2022, which was the first of four goals scored against his new team. For context, Isak has only scored more goals against West Ham United (5), Tottenham Hotspur (6), and Nottingham Forest (6) in all competitions since 2022-23.
Not many centre-forwards can bully Virgil van Dijk, but Liverpool’s recruitment staff will have seen first-hand how many issues he was causing their defence — not just with his goalscoring but his ability to drag defenders out of position, drop deep, and run in behind.
It is exactly those traits that make Isak such a highly coveted striker. In many ways, he is multiple strikers rolled into one when considering his all-round game.
It might seem trite to show a striker’s touchmap when assessing their qualities, but the involvement that Isak has across the pitch is deeply ingrained in his style of play. A healthy share of touches between the width of the six-yard box is expected, but look at how much he pulls into those wide channels to find space and cause further damage.
(Top photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)