Liverpool's ambitious chase for Newcastle star Alexander Isak might have just received a boost. The Reds are eager to bring the Swedish international on board this summer, but any potential move would likely result in a record-breaking Premier League fee.
Arne Slot's team has already been splashing the cash in recent months, bringing in Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, as well as Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez. Now, Liverpool are on the hunt for a new No.9 to fill the boots of Darwin Nunez, who is currently on Napoli's radar.
While Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt and Chelsea's Joao Pedro were linked, Isak remains a top priority at Anfield. The news that Newcastle is in the market for a striker could provide a much-needed boost to their pursuit.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies have entered the race to sign Ekitike and are 'keen' on the 23-year-old. Other Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Liverpool, have also shown interest in the promising forward.
Ekitike has attracted attention from Saudi Pro League teams such as Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah, but his preference is to stay in Europe if he departs Frankfurt this summer. The news of Newcastle's interest, considering the centre-forward would cost around $115 million, could ring alarm bells on Merseyside.
Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike has been linked with Newcastle and Liverpool this summer (Image: Getty)
This high-profile signing could suggest that Isak might become available in the coming weeks.
The Magpies are striving to keep the former Real Sociedad star and are keen to secure him on a new contract, but if their talks fail, it's uncertain whether they'll soften their 'not for sale' stance.
Newcastle has previously attempted to sign Ekitike, nearly securing his signature in 2022 when he was at Reims. However, the forward chose to stay with the Ligue 1 team before moving to Paris Saint-Germain just six months later.
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They initially declined to revisit the Frenchman, but have since reversed that decision as his value has only increased.
Eddie Howe will undoubtedly envision a scenario where Isak and Ekitike can spearhead the attack together, particularly as both players can play out wide if needed, but it wouldn't be surprising if the top brass at Liverpool speculated that their No.14 could be up for grabs.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Express by clicking here.