The 2025-26 Premier League season is one month away now and teams are working in the background to make moves, with Liverpool at the centre of the rumour mill while a disagreement between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest is also making headlines.
Here are a few of the bigger transfer rumours to watch ahead of the new season!
LIVERPOOL CONSIDER BLOCKBUSTER $247M SPLASH
Liverpool are considering a blockbuster £120 million ($A247m) bid for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak despite the Magpies’ desire to hold onto the Sweden star, according to reports.
The Premier League champions are yet to make a formal offer for Isak but he is believed to be high on their wanted list as boss Arne Slot looks for a new forward in the wake of Diogo Jota’s death.
Isak joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad for £63 million ($A130m) in 2022, emerging as a key player for Eddie Howe’s team.
He scored 23 Premier League goals last season to fire the club into the Champions League for the second time in three years.
Isak also scored in Newcastle’s League Cup final victory over Liverpool at Wembley, which ended the Magpies’ 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy.
The 25-year-old, who is currently at a pre-season training camp in Austria, still has three years remaining on his contract and Newcastle are understood to be trying to tie him to a new deal.
They have reportedly put a value of around £150 million ($A308m) on Isak in an attempt to ward off potential suitors, with Arsenal also reportedly contemplating an offer.
Newcastle’s majority owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, have the financial muscle to resist any approach for a player who is said not to be agitating for a move.
Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa have also been linked with moves away from Anfield, which would increase their need to bring in a new striker.
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
OTHER TARGETS FOR LIVERPOOL... AS RIVALS CONTINUE TO CIRCLE STAR
As well as their Isak interest, Liverpool have been linked with Eintracht Frankfurt’s forward Hugo Ekitike, who has also attracted attention from Newcastle.
The Athletic reported that the Reds have made contact with Ekitike, whose camp already rejected a £65 million ($A133m) offer for the French forward from the Magpies.
Instead, talkSPORT reported Frankfurt executives are holding firm with their €100m ($A178m) valuation of Ekitike.
Ben Jacob of talkSPORT said that he is hearing “a lot of noise” out of Germany that the idea is to “create a bidding war”, adding that if Liverpool misses out on Isak they may turn their attention squarely to Ekitike.
“Later in the window that price might drop from €100m to somewhere close to €85m which is when the likes of maybe Chelsea and Liverpool might finally make their move,” he explained.
In addition, Diario AS reported that Liverpool could also sign Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, going as far as to claim that the Reds are prepared to do “everything in their power” to land him.
Rodrygo of Real Madrid. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Rodrygo of Real Madrid. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Real Madrid reportedly is after an offer of around €100 million ($A179m), with the report adding that Liverpool is ready to send officials to begin talks with Los Blancos.
While Liverpool has been linked to a lot of external moves, ESPN reported that sorting the future of Luis Diaz is a priority for the Reds amid plenty of rival interest.
ESPN reported earlier in the week that Liverpool rejected a €67.5 million ($A120m) from Bayern Munich for the star forward, who has two years left on his contract.
The report went on to claim that it would take a “sizeable offer” for Liverpool to reconsider its stance on Diaz, having already knocked back an approach from Barcelona earlier in the summer.
As it stands, there have been no signs of an extension. But for now Liverpool views the much-improved Diaz as a key part of its team for next season at the minimum.
Diaz, however, has made it clear he wants to leave, it just may be a matter of when that happens.
LEGAL ACTION THREATENED IN TWIST TO TOTTENHAM MOVE
Elsewhere, Tottenham’s move for Morgan Gibbs-White has reportedly been put on hold as Nottingham Forest have threatened legal action.
Spurs looked set to land Gibbs-White after they sought to activate the £60 million ($A123m) buyout clause in his Forest contract.
However, the BBC reported that Forest did not give Tottenham permission to speak to the player and are considering legal action over suspicions Spurs tapped up Gibbs-White.
Under Premier League rules clubs are not allowed to talk to players under contract with another team unless they are given permission.
Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Gibbs-White had previously been linked with Manchester City after playing a major role in Forest’s seventh-placed finish in the Premier League last season.
He scored seven goals and provided 10 assists in 34 Premier League appearances to earn senior England recognition under both Lee Carsley and Thomas Tuchel.
His departure would be a second major loss for Forest in a matter of days with Anthony Elanga set to join Newcastle in a £55 million ($A113m) move.
Gibbs-White joined Forest from Wolves in 2022 for an initial £25 million ($A51m) that could rise to £42.5 million ($A87m) in add-ons.