As Alexander Isak pushes for a move to Liverpool with just days left in the summer transfer window, Alan Shearer was visibly exasperated when Hugo Ekitike's name was brought up
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United reacts during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Fulham FC at St James' Park on February 1, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Alexander Isak has been pushing to leave Newcastle this summer(Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty Images)
A weary Alan Shearer was left rolling his eyes when Gary Lineker joked that Newcastle should try to swap Alexander Isak for Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike. With just over a week remaining in the summer transfer window, the outcome of the ongoing Isak transfer saga remains uncertain.
The 25-year-old forward is in the midst of a stand-off with Newcastle, the club he joined three years ago, as he tries to force a move to Liverpool. Isak has made it clear to the Magpies that he wants to leave and was the target of a £110million bid from the Reds earlier this month, which was quickly rejected.
Newcastle are firm in their stance that he will not be allowed to leave unless an offer in the region of £150m is received. However, it seems unlikely that Liverpool will come back with such an offer, given they have already splurged around £300m on players this summer, including £79m on former Magpies target Ekitike.
Isak was noticeably absent from Newcastle's pre-season and has since been training on his own. The Swedish star dropped a bombshell statement earlier this week, claiming that Newcastle had broken "promises" and hinting that he would not play for Eddie Howe's team again.
As a result, the striker will not be involved in Liverpool's visit to Newcastle on Monday, although the north east club said in their own statement that they'll welcome Isak back "when he's ready to rejoin his team-mates".
Alan Shearer on The Rest is Football podcast
Alan Shearer was bemused by Gary Lineker's joke(Image: YouTube/The Rest Is Football)
With his current club and the side he hoped to join facing off in the Premier League, Gary Lineker pointed out on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast: "Guess who's playing at the weekend. It's mad. The fixture list sometimes does this beautifully. Newcastle vs Liverpool, of course it is."
Shearer revealed he would be attending the St. James' Park fixture, adding: "It's a bit tasty anyway, Newcastle vs Liverpool. So this is a bit of added spice. It will be an incredible atmosphere."
Lineker then cheekily teased the former Newcastle striker by saying: "Why don't you do a swap deal? For Ekitike. Just to stir things up a little bit."
Shearer rolled his eyes and let out a bemused laugh before saying: "Oh, God." Lineker added: "Oh, sorry. But you've got to try to see the funny side of these things. It's brutal for fans and you're a fan Alan."
Hugo Ekitike celebrates for Liverpool
Hugo Ekitike will come up against Newcastle on Monday
While Isak missed Newcastle's Premier League opener against Aston Villa last weekend - which ended in a 0-0 draw - Ekitike managed to score his second competitive goal for the Reds in his second game, highlighting the quality of player Newcastle missed out on.
Newcastle had considered the Frenchman as a potential replacement for Isak. Their failure to secure Ekitike's signature, along with those of players like Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro, has played a major part in their reluctance to let go of Isak this late in the transfer window.
Newcastle made an offer for Ekitike in July but had their £70m bid rejected by Eintracht Frankfurt, and the player already had his heart set on an Anfield move. The striker is expected to receive a hostile reception on Monday night, and, despite Isak's absence, the two sides' meeting after a summer of drama is set to be a tantalising one.