Newcastle United have confirmed a striker transfer exit - just not the one many would have thought.
Isak has not played for Newcastle since the end of last season and hasn’t trained with the first team in over a month in a bid to secure a move away from the club.
And with the summer transfer deadline day on Monday, it’s shaping up to be a pivotal few days for Newcastle in terms of both incomings and potential outgoings.
Newcastle have agreed a deal to sign Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart for £65million and remain in the hunt for another striker. That could pave the way for Isak to leave Newcastle should an acceptable bid come in for the striker in the final days of the window.
But away from all that, the club have agreed a low-key striker transfer exit.
Newcastle United confirm exit for 2022 World Cup star Garang Kuol
Newcastle have confirmed Australian forward Garang Kuol has left the club to join Sparta Prague for an undisclosed fee.
It comes three years on from The Magpies agreeing a deal with Central Coast Mariners to sign Kuol as a teenager.
Kuol represented Australia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at just 18 years old. He is Australia’s youngest ever representative at a World Cup and also the youngest player to feature in a World Cup knockout match since Pele in 1958.
He then officially joined Newcastle the following month in January 2023. Despite a strong CV at such a young age, Kuol’s time at Newcastle ultimately failed to live up to expectations.
The youngster had frustrating loan spells at Heart of Midlothian and Volendam during his first two seasons at Newcastle before intergrating with the Under-21s side last season. Despite some solid showings at Under-21s level, Kuol failed to break into Newcastle’s first-team and leaves the club without making a competitive senior appearance.
He will reuinte with former Newcastle Under-21s lead coach Diarmuid O’Carroll, who joined Sparta Prague as a first team coach earlier this summer.
Earlier this year, O’Carroll told The Gazette about Newcastle’s plan for Kuol.
Sparta Prague coach on Kuol
Speaking during his time as Newcastle Under-21s lead coach last season, O’Carroll played down the prospect of Kuol going on loan again and instead hinted at a potential summer exit.
After suggesting Kuol would stay for the second half of the 2024/25 season despite being linked with a move away, O’Carroll said: “We don't want to send someone for a token gesture because it looks good to send them on loan. We want from now on every loan to be tailored to the needs of the player.”
“I want him to have a really good second half of the season [at Newcastle] and then we'll see where he goes in the summer.”
Now, Kuol will be looking to make his mark in senior football at Sparta Prague, who are competing in this season’s Conference League. Last season they were in the Champions League having won the Czech First League back in 2024.
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