Newcastle United transfer news: Alexander Isak is wanted by Liverpool this summer, but developments involving Benjamin Sesko are set to impact a move.
Talk surrounding Alexander Isak’s future at Newcastle United continues to rumble on in the background of a crazy summer in the north east. Isak hasn’t featured for the Magpies during pre-season and continues to be linked with a move away from the club.
Liverpool’s initial bid of £110m for the Swedish striker was rejected by Newcastle United last week. The Reds are now pondering their options and whether to improve on that offer which fell way short of Newcastle United’s valuation of the striker.
The Magpies, meanwhile, have insisted throughout the summer that Isak is not for sale. That stance has been tested once and they will likely have to reinforce their defences between now and the closure of the summer transfer window.
Despite Isak’s hopes that a move to Anfield may be sanctioned this summer, developments elsewhere and far out of his control may have a major impact on where he plays his football next season. Right now, it appears that Isak’s future is in limbo and will be determined by Slovenian international Benjamin Sesko.
Sesko has been the subject of two bids from Newcastle United and one from Manchester United this summer. Whilst RB Leipzig have yet to officially accept or reject either bid, it has been reported that Sesko will have the final say over his future.
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Sky Sports have indicated that the striker was leaning towards a move to Old Trafford on Tuesday once knowledge of Manchester United’s bid had become public. The 22-year-old now has a major decision in the coming days - one that will ultimately reverberate around the whole Premier League.
Alexander Isak training update
Isak and his representatives will have their eyes on Sesko’s decision, whilst Newcastle United will be desperate for an outcome, whichever way that falls, to yet another transfer saga that has dominated the headlines. The Magpies have seen a multitude of their top targets choose moves elsewhere this summer and, with less than two weeks of pre-season to go, will be hoping focus can shift to what they are able to do on the training pitch and in their final matches of pre-season ahead of the start of the Premier League season.
They will not sell Isak if an adequate replacement is not signed.
Eddie Howe’s side have returned from their trip to Singapore and South Korea and will train this week ahead of matches against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid on Friday and Saturday respectively. Isak, meanwhile, returned to the club’s training ground for the first time since missing their trip to Asia on Monday and then again on Tuesday morning.
Isak is set to have talks with Howe over his future at the club, although his head coach has already delivered a clear message to the striker ahead of his side’s return to Darsley Park: “You have to earn the right to train with us. We are Newcastle United,” Howe said in South Korea on Sunday.
“The player has a responsibility here to be part of a team and part of a squad - you have to act in the right way. So that is also at play here.
“We will make sure that any player does that to earn the right to train with the group. No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal.”
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