Liverpool have not abandoned their pursuit of Alexander Isak, although talk of a move to Anfield has quietened in recent weeks. With the summer deadline edging closer, the Reds are under pressure to push through a deal.
Hugo Ekitike has made an immediate impression at his new club, finding the net on his Premier League debut and perhaps offering a glimpse of what lies ahead.
Liverpool remain in contact over Isak. Their £110 million offer was turned down earlier in the window, yet their interest has not faded and could resurface strongly as the final weeks unfold.
Finance Expert Makes Alexander Isak to Liverpool Transfer Claim and Suggests Price
Finance expert and ex-Manchester City advisor Stefan Borson has shared his view on Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak. In an interview with Football Insider, Borson outlined the potential fee required to secure the Swede and indicated when the move might be completed.
“I guess we’ve got to a point now where I think probably most likely, if you were betting on it, you’d say Liverpool put forward a deal that’s sort of £125 million plus a load of add-ons, some easy and some not easy, and it gets done after the Newcastle vs Liverpool game and he joins Liverpool.
“But it just depends on the hardball that Newcastle want to play as an organisation as much as anything.”
Borson went on to say that he believes Liverpool are ‘well placed’ given Isak’s current stance at Newcastle. The 25-year-old has been absent from training and was left out of their opening fixture of the season against Aston Villa.
According to David Ornstein’s report last week, Isak is ‘adamant’ he will not to play for Newcastle again. Such a position may eventually cut his ties with the club completely and push through a transfer regardless.
Newcastle have maintained their position that Isak will only be allowed to leave if a suitable replacement is brought in before the window closes. They have been linked with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, though neither pursuit has advanced significantly.
The Magpies have already missed out on several targets this summer, including Ekitike, and a challenging window could see them fail in their attempts to land Jackson or Wissa too. Even so, Borson remains convinced that Isak’s departure is still the ‘most likely’ outcome.
“It’s made it very difficult to reintegrate because of the stance that he’s taken, and the way Newcastle do not believe they can even play him right now,” he continued. “As I say, I think it’s most likely that he goes, but I don’t think it’s certain.”
As such a key player for the club, it will still take a hefty transfer fee to see Isak leave Newcastle. With Ekitike off the mark and time running out though, it remains to be seen if Liverpool will come back with another offer this late on.
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