Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak
Liverpool have displayed quite the show of ambition at the start of the transfer window. The Reds have alreasdy snapped up £29.5m Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and have struck a £1.5m deal for Armin Pecsi to join £29m Giorgi Mamardashvilli in their goalkeeping ranks.
But it is the agreement reached with Leverkusen for German sensation Florian Wirtz that has really caught public attention. The Reds will pay a guaranteed £100m for the 22-year-old, with an extra £16m worth of add-ons taking the deal to a potential British record.
Their business is unlikely to stop there, though, with Milos Kerkez expected to move to Anfield from Bournemouth and a striker also thought to be on the Reds' wish list.
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Could that striker be Newcastle United's Alexander Isak in another mega deal? Our writers have their say:
Paul Gorst
If there was to be one further 'dream signing' for Liverpool this summer after the blockbuster arrival of Florian Wirtz, which is set to be wrapped up imminently, it would be Newcastle United's Alexander Isak.
The Sweden international has established himself as one of the finest frontmen in the Premier League and only Mohamed Salah score more last season than his eventual haul of 23.
That return was enough to fire the Magpies to the Champions League promised land, however, which makes any efforts to snare him from the Reds a more difficult prospect.
Last year, by all accounts at St James' Park, was a fly-by-the-seat-your-pants approach towards coming in to meet the league's Profit and Sustainability Regulations and such was the madcap dash to the line in late June that Anthony Gordon was close to becoming a Liverpool player as a result.
Sales of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh, to Nottingham Forest and Brighton respectively, eventually eased those concerns and the word from those connected in the North East this summer is that Newcastle have fewer PSR-related issues to concern themselves with.
That, inevitably, means they are relaxed about the future of Isak this summer as they gear up for a campaign back at Europe's top table at a time when it is more lucrative than ever.
Isak, according to national media reports recently, is scheduled to hold talks over a new deal at the end of August, which is likely to further increase the transfer speculation in the meantime. Expect Liverpool's name to feature prominently as the No.9 debate goes on. It's been suggested the Magpies are not totally convinced they can tie down their talisman.
So, how much Isak actually cost? In a summer where the Reds have already laid out a £116m on Wirtz and a further £29m on Jeremie Frimpong alongside ongoing talks over £45m-rated Milos Kerkez, outgoings will have to be forthcoming before any sort of package can be put together to tempt Newcastle to the table.
Isak would be the No.1 option to lead the Liverpool line next season for most given the choice, but that means it will cost and unless the 25-year-old rocks the boat and looks to engineer his departure in an acrimonious way, perhaps this is a ship that is about to set sail.
Ian Doyle
Alexander Isak didn't need to net the ultimately decisive goal in the League Cup final win over Liverpool for the Reds to be impressed by the Newcastle United striker.
Isak has been on the radar of the Premier League champions for some time, although a move was long regarded unlikely due to a fee that could well approach £100million and beyond.
Liverpool's imminent £116m purchase of Florian Wirtz has perhaps changed that particular landscape. Not that the Reds have all that money at hand to spend again - player sales would be required for anything to happen - but more the fact Fenway Sports Group are now willing to sanction such mammoth purchases.
Approaching his 26th birthday, Isak is on the very cusp of an age group where FSG would no longer be overly keen on spending big for a player.
In truth, any deal would probably have to take the form of a player exchange. Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa would have to be sold, and a fringe player or two would have to be offered to Newcastle who, as their aborted attempt to sell Anthony Gordon to Liverpool last summer attests, are open to such agreements.
Would Isak fancy a move to Liverpool? The reality is Newcastle, while improving, won their first domestic trophy in 70 years on March. The Reds remain far more likely to challenge for and win honours, as their title triumph attests. It may come down to Isak's ambition and whether he pushes for an exit.
It wouldn't be easy. But if there's a tiddly chance of Isak coming to Anfield, it should be pursued.
Joe Rimmer
Liverpool have already shown they mean business this summer, signing one of the most in-demand players in European football with a £116m deal for Florian Wirtz.
But any move for Alexander Isak would really be showing their dominance.
The sad part is, the Isak ship has probably sailed. We now know he's a player Liverpool considered before Darwin Nunez in 2022 and in reality, that was probably the moment to recruit the forward.
Newcastle's improvements in recent seasons and qualification for the Champions League next season mean that the only real chance Liverpool would have of signing Isak would be if the Swede agitated for a move. He's certainly not shown any intention of doing that in his public statements about his future.
And even if he did push for the transfer, the fee would surely be north of the £116m paid for Wirtz in order to facilitate a deal.
That said, if Isak rejects the opportunity to sign a new deal with Newcastle it could open up a small window for the Reds. And while they will no doubt be watching closely, their own business must continue in the meantime, with outgoings on the agenda.
Much more realistic, then, is for Liverpool to try to sell Darwin Nunez and reinvest the money in somebody outside of the Premier League. It's why links to Hugo Etikike might more more sense.