Having made an already impressive start to the summer transfer window bringing in right back Jeremie Frimpong, superstar attacker Florian Wirtz, and with a move to sign left back Milos Kerkez in its final stages, no side so far has done more to strengthen their 2025-26 chances than Premier League champions Liverpool.
The Reds don’t appear to be done yet, either. A replacement for departed centre half Jarell Quansah is expected, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi the favourite. There’s also plenty of chatter around the striker position, with Darwin Nuñez expected to leave the club and the potential for another major attacking signing when he does.
The consensus is that the dream target at that point would be Newcastle United’s 25-year-old Swedish striker Alexander Isak. Newcastle, though, by all accounts do not want to sell—and qualifying for the Champions League has strengthened their position to the point most have assumed Isak is not an especially plausible target.
However, The Times today suggest that Newcastle are concerned that Liverpool will test their resolve early in July with a move for Isak—a significant bid The Magpies might be fully willing to turn down but that could turn the player’s head. Even in the most optimistically Red world, bidding for Isak would start at £100M.
There has previously been chatter it would take at least £150M. Liverpool, though, are increasingly believed to be willing and able to spend big a second time this summer on a striker after their record-breaking £116M move for Wirtz. Whether that big move ends up being for Isak or not seems less certain at this stage.
For their part, Newcastle are actively seeking to get Isak on a new contract. The player currently has three years to run on his deal. However, league profit and sustainability rules would limit them to a wage increase for Isak into the realm of £150k per week—less than a club like Liverpool would be willing and able to offer.
All things considered, a move for Isak by the Reds continues to feel like the longest of long shots. It would likely mean having to not just pay another, even larger record fee, but also for Isak to push hard for a move to force Newcastle’s hand. If The Magpies are concerned, though, then at this point you can’t rule it out entirely.