Photo by Scott Llewellyn | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Scott Llewellyn | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Newcastle United have received a shock enquiry from Liverpool over a move for star striker Alexander Isak.
It is not an update fans would have liked to hear. The Magpies are now at risk of losing their star man who joined for a club-record fee in 2022.
The news comes shortly after reports that Newcastle United had a bid rejected for Hugo Ekitike on Tuesday morning. Eddie Howe wants to bring the striker to Tyneside after missing out on him three years ago, but must break the Magpies’ existing transfer record to do so.
Howe wants Ekitike and Isak to partner up at Newcastle next season but there has been a suggestion that Isak could leave next summer, so the 23-year-old Frenchman will likely be his replacement.
Ekitike has agreed personal terms with Newcastle, but it remains to be seen whether he will join this summer.
With Liverpool’s interest in Isak genuine and an approach being made, Luke Edwards has shared a view on the latest enquiry and what it means for Newcastle.
Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring in the Carabao Cup final for Newcastle United.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Liverpool approach for Alexander Isak is a ploy to unsettle him
Despite the approach, the feeling on Tyneside has always been the same: Isak is not for sale this summer. Howe wants to build a team around him and is in the process of doing so.
Having already signed Anthony Elanga, Isak could soon have other players who can get the best out of him and lead to more success at Newcastle.
There appears to be a lot of tactical mind games going on in this transfer window, with Newcastle trying to get Liverpool to sign another striker while Arne Slot’s side attempt to prise Isak away from Tyneside.
According to Luke Edwards, the view is that Liverpool’s approach is a ploy to try and unsettle the 25-year-old this summer. Isak is ‘not agitating’ to leave Newcastle, but it remains to be seen whether he will be part of the squad for the start of the season.
Isak was Newcastle’s top scorer last season, with 27 goals in all competitions.
Newcastle United’s resolve will be tested after Liverpool’s Alexander Isak approach
Liverpool are linked with a move for Jean-Philippe Mateta. However, it appears that move could be a smokescreen to sign the striker they really want.
The Athletic have reported the enquiry was in the region of around £120m, which would immediately break the British transfer record Liverpool broke by signing Florian Wirtz but it will still surely be nowhere near enough to accept.
Newcastle want close to £200m for Isak, a fee which would approach the record transfer fee paid for Neymar by PSG in 2017. However, it is clear now that Newcastle’s resolve will be tested this summer.
Liverpool are clearly not willing to let their interest go, so it is now a case of getting as high a transfer fee as possible for the Swede, or tying him down to a new deal.