Liverpool have reportedly been given a clear indication of what it would take to pry Alexander Isak away from Newcastle United. The Reds, who have long admired the Swedish striker, have already had a £110 million bid rejected by the Magpies.
Despite this setback and the departure of Callum Wilson, uncertainty still surrounds Isak's future at St James' Park, with the club keen to secure a new forward before the 1st September deadline. Newcastle have set their sights on Brentford's Yoane Wissa, initially valued at £40 million. However, recent developments could throw a spanner in the works for both Newcastle and Liverpool.
According to talkSPORT, Brentford are now blocking Wissa's move to Newcastle, even after signing Dango Ouattara over the weekend. The Bees have reportedly upped their asking price for Wissa to £60 million, a hefty 50% increase.
Ouattara is seen as the long-term replacement for Bryan Mbeumo, which means Brentford now need to find a successor for Wissa. This decision has not gone down well with the player, who has unfollowed Brentford on social media, removed his profile picture and deleted all club-related content from his Instagram account.
It's believed that Wissa was promised he could leave for £26 million, having stayed on last season following Ivan Toney's transfer to Al-Ahli. The potential transfer of Alexander Isak to Liverpool hangs in the balance, with The Daily Mail reporting that Newcastle's approval hinges on their success in signing two new forwards this summer.
Despite their efforts, the Magpies have yet to secure any fresh striking options, having missed out on targets like Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike to other Premier League clubs. Liverpool, according to the ECHO, are holding off on a renewed bid for Isak until there's a clear signal from Newcastle that they're ready and willing to part with their forward.
Adding to the intrigue, respected journalist Fabrizio Romano has doubled down on his assertion that Isak's preference is a move to Liverpool. With an upcoming match between the two sides at St James' Park, there's speculation that talks could pick up post-clash.
Romano stated: "The reason is that Alexander Isak only wants to play for Liverpool. Alexander Isak only wants to go to Liverpool. Alexander Isak every single time Newcastle, their board, management or Eddie Howe approached him in recent weeks over a new contract, the answer from the player was, 'I'm not going to sign a new contract, I'm not interested in a new deal.
"Even when Isak offered the opportunity to include a release clause so he could leave in 2026, the clear answer was always the same. Alexander Isak doesn't want to change his position, only Liverpool. Now we expect the two clubs to recover negotiations but as always Newcastle have to find a new striker, they're looking for a new number nine.
"A factor in this story is that Alexander Isak is in the middle of the two clubs. The next game is Newcastle vs Liverpool, this is also part of the story and why the two clubs are on standby, then these clubs will try again for Alexander."