Alexander Isak has asked Newcastle to explore a potential transfer exit but actually finding a new club may not be as easy as he thinks.
Alexander Isak, one of the Premier League’s most sought-after talents, had been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool throughout the summer, as Newcastle United worked hard to retain their prized striker.
While a Liverpool bid appeared likely, reports suggest Newcastle rejected their advances, leading the reigning Premier League champions to pivot and secure Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt instead. The French forward — previously on Newcastle’s radar — joined for an initial £69 million fee, potentially rising to £79 million.
Ekitike was seen as a fallback option to Isak. However, in a fresh twist, Isak has now requested permission from Newcastle to explore a possible exit and has subsequently been left out of their pre-season squad traveling to Singapore and South Korea.
Liverpool have already splashed out over £250 million this summer, bringing in Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong to bolster Arne Slot’s squad ahead of their title defence. Should they choose to reignite their pursuit of Alexander Isak, their total transfer outlay could soar past £400 million — according to a report from The Athletic.
The report states that Newcastle would only consider entering negotiations for their 25-year-old striker if offers start at £150 million, a fee that would instantly place Isak among the most expensive players in football history, behind only Neymar and Kylian Mbappé.
Additionally, the financial commitment doesn’t stop there. Agent fees are expected to exceed £20 million, while Isak’s potential wages could hit £300,000 per week, further inflating the overall cost for any interested club.
Players such as Marcus Rashford, now with wages reportedly covered by Barcelona, earn similar weekly salaries at Manchester United, while Kevin De Bruyne was believed to be making over £300,000 per week before his departure from Manchester City. With a potential blockbuster transfer on the cards, Alexander Isak could use that as leverage to demand a comparable salary — which would cost any buying club upwards of £15 million annually.
Manchester United are said to have ruled themselves out of the race for Isak, while Manchester City remain focused on Erling Haaland and already added Omar Marmoush in January. Arsenal appear to be closing in on Victor Gyökeres, having already spent over £100 million this window, and Chelsea have strengthened their attack with the additions of Liam Delap and João Pedro, while also aiming to offload surplus forwards.
That leaves Liverpool as the most realistic Premier League destination for Isak — provided they can find a way to accommodate him alongside Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah. Bayern Munich’s growing interest in Luis Díaz could open a path for Isak’s arrival by clearing both salary space and room in Liverpool’s attacking setup.
