Newcastle United have suffered another rejection in the bid to find an alternative to Alexander Isak.
The Toon have placed a £55 million bid for Jørgen Strand Larsen after **Wolves**refused to agree to a £50 million proposal earlier in the week. But the two clubs still cannot come to a consensus on a deal.
The striker scored two goals off the bench to turn around their Carabao Cup tie against West Ham. This result would mark the first triumph of the campaign for the club after a poor preseason with no wins, and Vitor Pereira praised his number nine as a "top player, with the right mentality."
The manager made clear his stance on the situation, expressing a desire to hold onto the 25-year-old.
"Football is football and every player has a price. I understand football but for me it's very important for us. We’ll see what happens. If it's my decision, of course, he stays. He’s a very important player."
He does not imagine that the striker will kick up a similar situation to the mess in the North-East.
"I know a lot of players in my career in this situation and they have asked me not to play but he wants to play every time. He wants to help the team. In the last seven or eight months I am with him, I know him very well. He will never force. We know football is football. You must be ready for everything."
When do Newcastle pull the plug on the drama?
Isak is no closer to a resolution. He has made his feelings known, releasing a statement that "change is in the best interests of everyone involved" on the night he was announced for Team of the Season.
At a point, that was far from the truth. The Swedish striker scored 21 Premier League goals in the 2023/24 season and 23 in the last campaign. The Magpies have not seen such scoring exploits since Alan Shearer, and through the Carabao Cup, Isak gave them the cup their local hero could not.
But the longer this striker saga drags on, the more it might be better for these factions to part ways.
There would be a price to pay if they cannot find a replacement. The team have picked up one point from games against Aston Villa and Liverpool. That output is not out of line after clashes against two of the top six teams from the last three years, but better finishing could have given them a lot more.
At the same time, the last two displays demonstrate that the intensity, speed, and unity of this group give them a fighting chance of competing with the best. Eddie Howe has highlighted how important it is for all the players to pull in the same direction: that is not possible right now with their talisman.
At this late stage of the window, how is the transfer market shaping up for Newcastle to respond?
Is there an answer in the transfer market?
At the start of August, **Benjamin Sesko**was one of the most highly touted strikers on the cards to come to England. However, he settled on a £66 million move from **RB Leipzig**to Man United.
There is interest in Samu Aghehowa, who scored 27 times in his first season for Porto. The Spanish striker is even younger than Sesko, aged 21, and a £60 million price tag is a hefty expense to pay.
As life would have it, **Yoane Wissa**is still pushing to be in the position that Isak is desperate to depart. The **Brentford**bagsman has gone back to training in West London after his club refused to accept a bid of £40 million, but the striker has not yet played for the Bees this league campaign.
Whoever they might go for, there are two reasons to expect the Toon to shell out an expensive price.
There is too little time for clubs to react in the transfer window. Teams have made arrangements, started their seasons, and settled on squad members. For the inconvenience of letting go of a forward worthy to be Isak's replacement, a potential seller must receive an offer that is too good to ignore.
Secondly, sides will know that Newcastle have a healthy transfer kitty in waiting. The Toon have chased incomings before making a move on Isak, but will expect a nine figure fee for his services, having rejected a £110 million bid from Liverpool. The Reds remain his likeliest destination, but there is no reason for the board to budge their demands for a striker with three years on his contract.
This situation can still become messier, but one thing is sure. Newcastle cannot wait for deadline day.