Newcastle ‘offer’ striker ‘important salary’ to ‘convince’ Alexander Isak replacement

Newcastle United have ‘offered’ potential Alexander Isak replacement Benjamin Sesko an ‘important salary’ to convince him to leave RB Leipzig, according to reports.

The RB Leipzig striker quickly emerged as the Magpies’ top target following the bombshell news that star player Isak wants to leave the club this summer.

The Swedish international has attracted interest from Liverpool, while Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked in the past.

His transfer request comes at an awkward time. Liverpool have just signed Hugo Ekitike for £69million, Arsenal are on the verge of landing Viktor Gyokeres, and Chelsea have already added Liam Delap and Joao Pedro this summer.

Isak will cost at least £130m and Newcastle obviously want him to stay, but the news has rocked officials at St James’ Park, with club chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan ‘taking control’ in an ‘unusual’ move from the PIF boss.

Despite landing Ekitike, Liverpool remain interested in the 25-year-old, but will need to sell first.

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Saudi Arabian clubs are eyeing Darwin Nunez, while Bayern Munich are ready to spend big on Luis Diaz – potentially freeing up space and funds for Isak at Liverpool

Over at Newcastle, they are preparing for life without their talismanic forward by making progress in their Sesko chase.

Fabrizio Romano reports that Newcastle are ready to “go big” in their pursuit of £78m-rated Sesko. He said: “The player (Isak) is exploring a move away from Newcastle. He’s been clear with the club.

“So they’ve started to react. Newcastle are going big – or at least trying to go big – on Benjamin Sesko.

“From what I understand, Newcastle are prepared to make a proposal to the player. It’s not easy. There’s a gentleman’s agreement between Sesko and RB Leipzig that he can leave for a ‘special’ club. That ‘special’ is decided by Sesko.”

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Now, transfer journalist Nicolo Schira claims Newcastle have offered Sesko a five-year deal with a significant salary to entice him from Leipzig.

Schira adds that there is no agreement between the two clubs but after offering the 21-year-old a lucrative contract, they will work on ‘reaching a deal’.

He wrote on X: ‘Newcastle have offered to Benjamin Sesko a contract until 2030 with an important salary to convince him to join NUFC, which are now working to reach a deal with Leipzig.’

Meanwhile, former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has urged Newcastle to sell Isak as “no one is bigger than the football club”.

“I’m with [Alan] Shearer on the Isak argument. If people want to buy him, first of all, Newcastle name the price and the terms of the conditions around the financing of that particular deal.

“And sell him, because no one is bigger than the football club, Eddie Howe won’t want somebody in the dressing room that’s not 100% committed.

“And so with Shearer’s analysis, which is that if they get £150m, sell him. I don’t disagree with that because Newcastle’s a bigger football club than Isak and they will have an opportunity to redeploy that money, and it may well be that that builds a better squad rather than just one individual, albeit he is an individual of unique talent.”