Newcastle United's signing of Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade has handed Liverpool a major boost in their pursuit of Alexander Isak. The German forward's arrival at St James' Park removes Newcastle's primary objection to sanctioning Isak's departure before Monday's transfer deadline.
Newcastle have agreed a deal for Woltemade, with transfer fees varying between sources. The Guardian reports £70m including add-ons, while Chronicle Live suggests £60.5m. Woltemade is scheduled for a medical at Newcastle on Friday, beating Bayern Munich to secure the 22-year-old's signature.
Newcastle's breakthrough moment
Woltemade's signing represents the breakthrough Newcastle desperately needed after failing to land several striker targets throughout the window. The German forward was seen as a potential long-term successor to Thomas Muller at Bayern Munich before choosing St James' Park.
Newcastle's summer-long search for striker reinforcements had previously blocked any potential sale of their Swedish star. According to Liverpool Echo, a Saudi PIF delegation including chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan visited Isak on Monday in an attempt to change his mind about leaving.
Liverpool's renewed opportunity
Liverpool can now revive their interest in Isak after seeing a £110m bid rejected by Newcastle earlier this month. The Reds have maintained persistent interest throughout the summer but faced consistent rejection due to Newcastle's lack of replacement options.
Isak has refused to play for Newcastle and released an explosive Instagram statement on August 19 expressing his determination to leave. The striker cited broken promises and has been training away from the main group while refusing to travel on the Far East tour.
Expert criticism and predictions
Former England winger Chris Waddle has delivered scathing criticism of Newcastle's handling of the situation, describing it as shambles and comparing their management to a pub team. The criticism reflects growing frustration with how the club has managed the transfer saga.
According to the Mirror, former England striker Emile Heskey believes an eventual agreement between the clubs remains possible given the new circumstances. The coming days will prove crucial as Liverpool prepare to test Newcastle's resolve once again with Woltemade's arrival removing their strongest argument against Isak's departure.
Sources used: "Evening Standard", "Guardian", "Liverpool Echo", "Chronicle Live", "Daily Mail", "Mirror"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
