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One finance expert believes that it is ‘highly unlikely’ that Alexander Isak will leave Newcastle United to join Barcelona this summer.
Isak’s future has been speculated about for months now with the Newcastle United man reportedly wanted by a number of top clubs around the world. Arsenal and Liverpool have most recently been linked with a move for the 25-year-old, although neither are expected to be able to match the Magpies’ demands on a transfer fee.
Not only will Newcastle resist any attempts by other clubs to sign Isak, but their price tag, believed to be well in excess of £100m, and possibly as much as £150m, will rule-out moves from anyone bar the financial elite of the game. Yasir Al-Rumayyan has even recently instructed the club to resist any offers for the Swedish international this summer as they focus on building with, rather than without, their talisman.
Amid all the reports of interest from north London and Merseyside, though, La Liga giants Barcelona have also been linked with a move for the striker this summer. Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, sit top of La Liga and are into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Finance expert’s view on Barcelona’s Alexander Isak ‘interest’
Despite the Catalan club returning to the top of Spanish football and reinstating their place among Europe’s elite sides in the Champions League, finance expert Stefan Borson does not believe that Barcelona will be able to afford Isak this summer, describing the transfer as ‘hugely unlikely’. Borson told Football Insider: “Barcelona have just announced they’re not going into the stadium this season.
“They had hoped to be back in the Nou Camp. They will be fine in the long term probably, but on paper they’re in no financial position to do a deal like this at all.
“But then in fairness, Barcelona for the last five years have been doing deals that, on any basis, you would think would be impossible, so I don’t know. I think it’s very unlikely.
“I think the fee that Newcastle would want to demand would be probably £125-150million. Why else would you sell him?
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“I just think it’s hugely unlikely. But Barcelona are the one club that’s proved any analysis of logical investment wrong. By all measures, they should have been bust a long time ago.”
Alexander Isak’s stunning Newcastle United form
Isak’s strike in last weekend’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley was his 23rd goal in all competitions this season - a tally that is just two behind his efforts for the whole of last season. Isak and Newcastle have ten games remaining in the Premier League to try and secure Champions League qualification.
Their triumph in the Carabao Cup means Conference League football is guaranteed next season, but they will be keen on finishing the season well to get back into Europe’s premier competition. Isak netted just the once in their previous Champions League campaign as he put his side ahead at the Parc des Princes against eventual semi-finalists PSG.
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