Newcastle United transfer news: Alexander Isak still ‘intends’ to leave Newcastle United this summer amid Liverpool transfer links - according to David Ornstein.
David Ornstein has revealed his belief that Alexander Isak will not be a Newcastle United player when the summer transfer window closes at 7pm on Monday 1 September. The Swedish international has been linked with a move to Anfield throughout the summer and was the subject of a £110m bid from Liverpool last week.
However, that offer was swiftly rejected by Newcastle United who value the striker at closer to £150m. With less than ten days to go before their Premier League campaign gets underway against Aston Villa, a solution to Isak’s situation is desperately needed.
Eddie Howe and his squad returned to training at Darsley Park on Wednesday, but Isak was instructed to come later and not take part in that session with his teammates. Isak arrived at the club’s training ground at just before 4pm on Wednesday, leaving around three hours later.
Whilst all of this rumbled on in the background, Newcastle United saw efforts to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig end in failure as Manchester United swooped for the striker. Although a deal between the Red Devils and Leipzig is yet to be agreed, it is understood that progress can be made and that Sesko will soon become a Manchester United player.
David Ornstein on Alexander Isak
Newcastle United’s failure to sign Sesko means that keeping Isak at the club has to be a priority until they can sign an adequate replacement. There are very few players of that calibre left to sign, though, and whilst Liverpool will likely push again to sign Isak, the Magpies cannot afford to severely weaken themselves before the end of the summer transfer window.
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Ornstein, though, believes that Isak’s time on Tyneside is at an end and that there is a ‘very good chance’ that he will depart the club this summer. Speaking on the Athletic football podcast, Ornstein said: “Isak and his representatives have made it clear to Newcastle for some time that their plan is to leave,” he said. “I think the Newcastle chapter is closed for Isak, from what we are hearing.”
Ornstein added: “I don’t want to put a firm judgement on how this is going to play out but as things stand, I don’t think the Sesko deal not happening suddenly collapses Alexander Isak’s departure. I think by the time the window shuts on the first of September, there is a very good chance that Isak will have departed and his preference is to join Liverpool.
“Newcastle will hopefully, for them, find some really good quality replacements and use the money wisely and build another strong team, maybe an even stronger team and squad that can compete on all fronts next season.”
Newcastle United end their pre-season campaign with two matches at St James’ Park against La Liga opposition on Friday and Saturday. Espanyol will be their opponents on Friday night before Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid head to Tyneside for a Sela Cup clash. Newcastle United could face Atletico in next season’s Champions League and will find out their opponents for the league stage of that competition on Thursday 28 August.
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