Alexander Isak's potential move from Newcastle United to Liverpool enters a crucial 24-hour window that could determine one of the summer's biggest remaining transfer sagas. The Swedish striker has refused to play for Newcastle and was left out of their squad for Saturday's goalless draw with Aston Villa.
Liverpool have already seen at least one bid rejected for Isak, with the club potentially needing to spend more than the £116 million Premier League record that convinced Bayer Leverkusen to part ways with Florian Wirtz. The goalless draw reinforced Newcastle's need for a goalscorer - whether that means keeping their top scorer from last season or spending big to replace him.
Newcastle's replacement strategy
Newcastle are pursuing Brentford striker Yoane Wissa as a potential replacement, with the 28-year-old also sitting out weekend action amid transfer speculation. The Mail reports that Brentford's asking price for Wissa has climbed from an initial £35 million to at least £50 million during the window.
The Wissa deal is believed to be the one on which Isak's future hinges. Newcastle's failure to secure the Congolese international would make it more likely that Isak stays at St James' Park, with the next 24 hours seen as crucial for resolving the situation.
Newcastle could end the window with two new strikers, having already allowed Callum Wilson to leave for nothing. Goncalo Ramos, who scored for Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup, is another option being considered by Eddie Howe's side.
Manager addresses uncertainty
Eddie Howe acknowledged the ongoing uncertainty surrounding his star striker. "It's a difficult one to answer," the Newcastle manager told TNT Sports when asked about the Isak situation. "I hope it's resolved quickly, because it's news around us all the time."
The timing adds extra intrigue to Newcastle's next fixture - a home match against Liverpool. "It's always spicy against Liverpool, there's a history to the fixture," Howe added. "We look forward to it. We know how good they are."
Liverpool's attacking options
Liverpool showed few signs of needing reinforcements in their victory over Bournemouth on Friday, with four different players finding the net. However, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez both completed summer exits to help the Reds raise funds for a potential Isak swoop.
Federico Chiesa was one of the four scorers on Friday, grabbing his first Premier League goal. Arne Slot suggested the Italian is going nowhere despite talk of a summer exit. "As long as he is here he is definitely at Liverpool and I have no reason to believe something is going to change," the manager said.
Sources used: "Mirror", "The Mail", "TNT Sports"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
