Newcastle United are going to have to fight off interest from across Europe for Alexander Isak this summer.
Club figures have made one thing clear following his sensational season – Alexander Isak will not leave Newcastle United in the summer transfer window.
Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan loves Isak, with recent reports confirming the Swede is his favourite player. The PIF boss has made it clear to Newcastle officials that he does not want to lose their star striker this summer.
Liverpool are interested in Isak after the 25-year-old scored twice against them, including a goal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium earlier this month.
Throughout the January transfer window, it looked as if Arsenal were the favourites to sign Isak. Their need to sign a striker was heightened significantly after both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus suffered season-ending injuries, leaving them without a natural striker.
Newcastle will be in the market for a striker this summer to support Isak – Callum Wilson’s contract is up in the next few months, and there is no sign that he will be handed a new deal after missing big chunks of previous seasons through injury.
The Magpies feel like they’ve got an alternative lined-up, but a new report has now suggested that the Gunners may beat them to his signature.
Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images
Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images
Arsenal favourites to sign Hugo Ekitike amid Newcastle United links
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike has a strange history with Newcastle after nearly joining the club in 2022.
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The 22-year-old rejected a move to Tyneside after Reims accepted an offer for him. Things got frosty when Ekitike joined PSG on loan before making his deal a permanent one a year later.
Things didn’t work out well for the France U21 international at PSG, so he decided to sign for the Bundesliga side at the beginning of the 2024/25 season, scoring 13 league goals.
His good form has caught the attention of clubs in England, including the Magpies. Newcastle can sign Ekitike in the summer, but would need to break their record transfer fee to bring him in.
It won’t be an easy deal to get over the line, however, according to BILD, Arsenal are the favourites to sign Ekitike at the end of the season for a reported fee of £67m. The fee is being based on what Manchester City paid for former Frankfurt man Omar Marmoush who was once linked with a move to Newcastle before joining the Cityzens.
While Mikel Arteta holds the aces over Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Ekitke who has registered nine goal involvements since becoming the leading striker for the Bundesliga side after Marmoush moved to the Premier League.
Hugo Ekitike may be too expensive for Newcastle United
Sporting director Paul Mitchell has been tasked with finding quality players for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle squad to help push them further up the table and build on their sensational Carabao Cup win this season.
The January transfer window was another one without first-team investment, but the summer is expected to be a significant one for the club.
With that being said, Ekitike’s asking price could be too much to spend on one player, given how many areas of the squad need to be improved ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Newcastle are poised to sign a right-winger in the summer after losing Miguel Almiron to Atlanta United in January, the focus will be surely be on that part of the pitch before looking elsewhere.