Liverpool could sign Alexander Isak in a £404m transfer domino effect involving five strikers, which would benefit Newcastle United and Manchester United…
It is often the case that a transfer hinges on several moving parts, and this is especially the case in the striker market this summer.
This window was always likely to revolve around clubs pursuing strikers, with four of the supposed Big Six – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United – requiring a new No.9.
Chelsea bucked the trend by swiftly securing Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, who quickly made their mark in the Club World Cup as the Blues made a huge statement in a warning to next season’s Premier League title rivals.
But Liverpool have arguably had a better window than any other Premier League club, as the key additions of Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong improve the champions’ starting XI.
Alarmingly for Liverpool’s rivals, the Premier League holders are far from finished as they are reportedly prepared to break the British transfer record for a second time this window amid a ‘record bid’ to Newcastle for world-class striker Isak.
Doubts surrounding Isak‘s injury record subsided in 2024/25 as he scored 27 goals in 42 games for Newcastle, who would understandably prefer to tie the 25-year-old to a lucrative new contract than sell to a direct rival.
However, there has been some change at St James’ Park as Isak is reportedly no longer ‘unsellable’ and this five-transfer domino effect, kick-started by Arsenal, could lead to Isak’s exit from Newcastle…
**Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal (£63m)**The Gunners look likely to be the next Big Six club to land a striker as they edge closer to a final breakthrough for 2025’s current second top scorer in Europe, Gyokeres.
Portuguese outlets are still pretending that this £63m including add-ons move could ‘collapse’, but the big-hitters in the transfer reporting world are on the side of this prolonged saga eventually reaching a positive conclusion for Arsenal.
A top-tier striker is widely considered the final piece of the jigsaw for Arsenal after recent near-misses in the Premier League and Champions League, though it remains to be seen whether Gyokeres is the right man for the job amid one glaring concern.
This seemingly inevitable transfer has at leastgiven ‘frustrated’ Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim a further headache, which could be solved by INEOS turning to a different striker…
READ: Ekitike among record signings which will be made this summer after beautiful five-word Ornstein message
**Victor Osimhen to Manchester United (£65m)**To the shock of no one, this window is not going to plan for the Red Devils as they have a ‘considerable’ hurdle to overcome for Bryan Mbeumo, while their blatant desperation is working against them as they struggle to offload several lingering outcasts on huge salaries.
United got off to a promising start by landing Matheus Cunha, while Mbeumo would also be a necessary upgrade in the No.10 position, but a new striker is arguably of more importance to Amorim after Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee only contributed a shambolic tally of seven Premier League goals combined in 2024/25.
United are back to the drawing board after missing out on Gyokeres and Delap, with Osimhen standing out as the best option amid his £65m release clause.
Galatasaray currently look to be an underwhelming likely destination for Osimhen after he knocked back interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, though Man Utd’s pulling power remains despite themselves and they are his last remaining hope of a Premier League move amid a messy end to his Napoli marriage.
**Darwin Nunez to Napoli (£70m)**The days of Napoli placing immovable barriers to block Premier League clubs from signing Osimhen are long gone, with his current £65m release clause arguably below his actual market value given his relentless goalscoring.
The club’s relationship with Osimhen has been broken since last summer and a resolution could facilitate a move for wantaway Liverpool forward Nunez, though one key issue is preventing a move as Saudi Pro League clubs linger.
The Uruguay international has been a box-office attraction in the Premier League as he’s capable of the sublime and the ridiculous. Nunez is still pretty raw and it’s been frustrating to watch his struggles over the past year, as he has immense ability and could certainly thrive in the right environment.
He do that at Napoli, whose chances of making a marquee signing will increase once Osimhen is gone, as Liverpool hold out for a reported fee of £70m.
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Alexander Isak to Liverpool (£120m)
Isak has long been touted as a dream signing for Liverpool, and there’s no wonder; he’s a wonderfully gifted footballer and arguably the most complete striker in the world right now.
Virtually every club in Europe would love to have a striker of Isak’s ability, and recent revelations suggest Liverpool have a decent chance of getting him. Perhaps most notably, this is because past deals sanctioned by FSG have suggested they only make a move for a target if they are considered attainable, so the door must at least be slightly ajar for the Swedish international.
Newcastle’s record asking price for Isak has reportedly been named. While it would take a mammoth deal to secure his services, the price is pretty reasonable given the cost of players in the current market and that the forward is under contract until 2028.
You also have to respect the cojones of Liverpool to basically say to Newcastle that they are either signing Isak or snatching their top striker target, thus illustrating the vastly different levels of each in the footballing power rankings.
READ: Only West Ham more miserable than Man Utd in Premier League mood rankings
**Hugo Ekitike to Newcastle United (£86m)**Ekitike appears to be Newcastle’s top striker target, with Eddie Howe’s side returning for the Eintracht Frankfurt star after failing to land him in 2022.
The 23-year-old has re-established himself as one of the best young strikers in the world after a poor stint at Paris Saint-Germain, grabbing 22 goals and 12 assists for Frankfurt in 2024/25.
So the Magpies would be hard-pressed to find a better replacement for Isak, who they could be forced to accept losing if/when it emerges that Liverpool’s interest has been fuelled by his willingness to join the champions.
Given the state of football in the PSR era, Newcastle were always going to accept a huge loss or two en route to realising their potential under PIF, with a move for Ekitike at a reported maximum fee of £86m leaving plenty in the bank to add a quality centre-back to follow Anthony Elanga and James Trafford.
Newcastle supporters may not see it this way, but this transfer domino effect could benefit them in the long run…