Alexander Isak scored 62 goals in 132 games for Newcastle. Reuters
Alexander Isak scored 62 goals in 132 games for Newcastle. Reuters
Premier League champions set to seal £125m transfer for Swedish striker
Alexander Isak was closing in on a British record-breaking move from Newcastle United to Liverpool after the two clubs agreed a record-breaking £125 million deal on transfer deadline day.
Isak's protracted switch to the reigning Premier League champions has dominated the summer headlines with the 25-year-old effectively going on strike to try to force through the transfer.
Liverpool had seen a bid of £110m turned down by Newcastle with reports suggesting it would take an offer closer to £150m for the Magpies to sell their top scorer.
Isak has been training away from the first-team squad having played no part in their pre-season fixtures or the opening three games of the Premier League campaign, including a 3-2 defeat at home to Liverpool.
Relations between club and player hit a new low last week when Isak released a statement on Instagram criticising Newcastle over their stance.
“The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading,” he said.
“When promises are broken and trust is lost the relationship can’t continue. That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself.”
But Newcastle's double striker swoop for Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade (£69m) and Yoane Wissa (£55m) from Brentford has paved the way for Isak to get his wish.
The deal beats the previous record set when Chelsea paid Benfica £106m for midfielder Enzo Fernandez in 2023, although Liverpool's £100m signing of German playmaker Florian Wirtz earlier this summer will rise to £116m should add-ons be achieved.
Liverpool appeared to have missed out on signing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi after a reported £35m deal was called off because the Eagles failed to bring in an adequate replacement.
The 25-year-old England centre-half, who scored a sensational goal at the weekend in Palace's 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Monday, will remain at the club until at least January and becomes a free agent next summer.
After Sunday's win at Forest, Palace manager Oliver Glasner told BBC Sport: “We have to keep Marc if we want to play a successful season,” adding that there would be “no chance to find the right replacement” at such short notice.
Wissa, meanwhile, has been involved in a bitter stand-off of his own having issued a statement on Monday accusing Brentford of “unduly standing in his way” of a move to Newcastle.
The Magpies had seen an offer of £35m plus add-ons turned down last month, much to the frustration of 28-year-old Wissa, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season.
Wissa wrote on Instagram that Brentford had “significantly changed its position” having previously “put in writing” that he could leave should a fair offer be made.
The double signing – barring any last-minute glitches with the Wissa deal – comes as a welcome relief for manager Eddie Howe after the Tyneside club missed out on multiple attacking targets over the summer including the likes of Joao Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, on top of the Isak stand-off.
Aston Villa are closing in on a triple deadline day swoop after agreeing deals to bring in Victor Lindelof, Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott.
Swedish defender Lindelof, 31, has been a free agent since leaving Manchester United in the summer and has signed a two-year contract with Villa.
Also leaving Old Trafford for Villa Park is 25-year-old winger Sancho who is finalising on a season-long loan having failed to live up to expectations following his £73m switch from Borussia Dortmund in 2021.
Sancho spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan back at Dortmund and last season at Chelsea, with the London club forking out £5m to get out of a £25m deal to sign him on a permanent deal.
Attacking midfielder Elliott, 22, is also set for Villa loan deal which includes on obligation to buy for £35m, having fallen down the pecking order at Liverpool.
Both Manchester clubs are poised to strengthened their goalkeeper departments after City agreed terms for Paris Saint-Germain's Gianluigi Donnarumma and United signed Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.
Italian stopper Donnarumma helped PSG win their first ever Uefa Champions League crown last season but has fallen out of favour with manager Luis Enrique.
City are set to pay £30.3m for the 26-year-old who has made 74 appearances for Italy, winning player of the tournament when the Azzurri beat England on penalties to win Euro 2020.
Brazilian keeper Ederson, 32, was set for a switch to Turkish side Fenerbahce having played 372 games during a hugely successful spell at City that saw him win six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, one Fifa Club World Cup, one Uefa Champions League and once Uefa Super Cup.
United agreed an £18.1m deal for Belgian keeper Lammens, 23, having decided not to pursue their interest in Aston Villa's World Cup-winning stopper Emiliano Martinez.
The Red Devils have loaned out striker Rasmus Hojlund to Serie A champions Napoli in a deal which could be made permanent for £38m, while winger Antony has signed permanently for La Liga's Real Betis in a reported £21.6m switch.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani is set to complete a loan move to Tottenham Hotspur, becoming the North London club's fourth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha and Xavi Simons.
The 26-year-old spent last season on a temporary deal at Serie A side Juventus, where he scored 10 goals in 22 appearances, and has 31 France caps to his name.
Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, 24, finally sealed his transfer to Bayern Munich with the Senegalese set to complete an initial loan move for £14.3m that includes a mandatory obligation to buy for £56.2m linked to appearances.