Whether we like it or not, the rumours around Alexander Isak’s future will probably persist all summer long.
Fresh off a stunning goal and assist for Sweden during the international break, Isak will return to the Premier League in fine form, and will be crucial in the Toon’s final 10 games of the campaign.
The man himself insists all of his focus is on getting us back in the Champions League and “can’t wait” to be part of Saturday’s celebrations, but the media continue to report on ongoing interest with Liverpool the latest club linked with a summer bid.
With the future of Mo Salah still uncertain, and neither Jota nor Darwin Nunez firing on all cylinders, Liverpool have reportedly made Alexander Isak a top summer target.
According to talkSPORT, to account for the British record fee it will take to even discuss Isak’s future away from Newcastle, Arne Slot’s side may offer a couple of players our way to ‘sweeten’ the deal.
Talk of a part-exchange involving Darwin Nunez has been ‘played down’, but talkSPORT’s Alex Crook claims defensive duo Joe Gomez and Jarrell Quansah have been highlighted as two players the Reds could include in a potential summer bid.
He reports that Gomez was ‘close’ to signing at St James’ Park last summer, while Quansah appears to be on our list of centre-back targets, as The Times also revealed in an exclusive released last night.
When it looked like Anthony Gordon could head to Liverpool last summer in order to help Newcastle avoid a PSR-related points deduction, it seemed at one stage that one of Gomez or Quansah could’ve been part of the deal.
However, given Quansah’s lack of consistent game time this season (until Slot was forced to play him out of position at right back due to injuries within the squad) and Gomez’s own spotty injury record, neither player are particularly convincing; never mind tempting enough to arrive in a deal that would see Isak depart!
Liverpool are living in dreamland if they think they can offer two defenders out of Slot’s first-team plans in an attempt to get Isak for a lower fee.
And regarding Nunez, Isak in this season alone has already surpassed the Uruguayan’s goalscoring output from the last two campaigns combined: 19 league goals versus 16. It’s a no-brainer and will take much more than a few squad men plus cash to land the best striker on the planet