Liverpool have dominated the transfer market ever since it first opened at the start of June.
Arne Slot and Richard Hughes have spent over £200million on improving their ranks this summer, and even though that’s still a hefty chunk of change, more additions will likely be made.
Alexander Isak has been Liverpool’s number one target for as long as many can remember, and now that he’s refusing to play for Newcastle ever again, it feels like the move is now closer to completion than ever.
Arne Slot gestures to his team during Liverpool's pre-season friendly against Preston North End at Deepdale.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Indeed, a fee still needs to be agreed upon for the attacker, but with the stir that Isak has caused during this transfer saga, it’s clear to see where his head is at.
Simon Jordan believes Alexander Isak’s gentleman’s agreement with Newcastle was ‘rubbish’
It goes without saying that Isak was one of the best players in the Premier League last season.
The striker has been Eddie Howe’s star man ever since he arrived at St James’ Park, and with the amount of goals he scored last term, it’s clear to see why Liverpool want to sign him.
And, while live on talkSPORT, Jim White and Simon Jordan were discussing how Newcastle have handled the saga over the last few weeks.
“This situation was always going to come up, Isak was always going to be sought after, he was always going to be a player in demand,” Jordan said.
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“So there was always going to be this position where they needed to clarify very clearly with the player what they were going to be doing with him.
“We can’t listen to players turn around and say that we had a gentleman’s agreement, we had an understanding because it’s all rubbish.”
Newcastle should have been ‘stronger’ with Alexander Isak amid Liverpool links
Even though Isak has his heart set on leaving Newcastle for Liverpool, it’s clear to see why Howe doesn’t want to let the Sweden international go.
Now that Calum Wilson has exited, Isak is the only natural striker among their ranks, and although moves have been made for his replacement, they’ve all seemed to choose to carry on their careers with different clubs.
Later in the show, Jordan revisited the subject and shared that Newcastle should’ve taken a leaf out of Nottingham Forest’s books with the way they handled the Morgan Gibbs-White saga this summer.
Alexander Isak during them Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Newcastle.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
“My belief is that if Newcastle had been stronger in the same way that Nottingham Forest were strong enough with Morgan Gibbs-White when that situation reared its head, when big clubs don’t want a player to leave, more often than not, that player doesn’t leave,” Jordan said.
“In this instance, Newcastle are morphing from a club that’s very big with a very passionate fan base into a club that wants to be amongst the legacy football clubs.
“That step is a difficult one because the owners are well-seeded financially, they’re pretty compliant with the governance of the game, they’re not pushing the envelope.
“In this instance, I think the vacuum of leadership has allowed Isak and his agent to do what they’re doing.”
Of course, only time will tell what the future has in store, but on the face of things, it’s hard to see an outcome where Isak doesn’t become a Liverpool player before the transfer window slams shut.