Liverpool have agreed a British-record £125m fee with Newcastle United for striker Alexander Isak, who is set to undergo a medical on Monday before signing a six-year contract worth £300,000 a week. The deal ends a protracted transfer saga during which Isak reportedly downed tools to force a move to the Premier League champions.
Newcastle had rejected a £110m bid from Liverpool on 1 August, insisting Isak was not for sale. However, the player's subsequent strike and public statements, combined with Newcastle's £70m signing of Nick Woltemade and attempts to sign Yoane Wissa or Jørgen Strand Larsen, prompted Liverpool to submit a higher offer on Sunday night. The accepted fee is a fixed £125m with no add-ons, though a loyalty payment saving means the deal is effectively worth £130m to Newcastle.
Isak, 25, was left out of Newcastle's pre-season tour of Asia with a reported thigh injury after Liverpool's first bid was rejected. He has since been absent from the squad and trained alone at his former club Real Sociedad, accusing Newcastle of breaking a commitment that he could leave if a suitable offer came from a big club. He also refused overtures to reopen contract negotiations.
The transfer marks the second time this summer that Liverpool have broken their own transfer record, following the £100m plus £16m add-ons deal for Florian Wirtz in June. Liverpool's total summer spending will exceed £440m, offset by more than £210m in player sales. The club could raise further funds by selling Harvey Elliott or Joe Gomez, with Aston Villa interested in Elliott and Milan making a €15m offer for Gomez, though Liverpool are reluctant to sell the defender amid complications in their pursuit of Marc Guéhi.
