Newcastle United are willing to break their wage structure to keep Liverpool and Arsenal target Alexander Isak at the club, according to reports.
Isak is the subject of transfer interest from the Premier Leagueās top two, but both clubs are well aware that he will cost at least Ā£120million.
Some Newcastle fans may even baulk at that fee, but the clubās hierarchy are in a strong negotiating position after Eddie Howe guided them into the Champions League.
The Swedish international is under contract until 2028, but there has been plenty of speculation surrounding his future and whether he will sign a new deal.
Failure to qualify for Europeās premier competition would have complicated matters, but now there is a belief that Isak is willing to commit his long-term future to Newcastle.
MORE: Transfer rumour power ranking: Man Utd linked with England striker after Mbeumo move
Amid interest from Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool, the Magpies are ready to break the bank to convince Isak to stay, according to The Times.
The report says Howeās side are āwilling to break the bankā by smashing their wage structure and making the 25-year-old the best-paid player in their history.
This would help āfight off any approachā, and the clubās bosses are āready to begin talks on a new dealā, which is expected to take Isakās wage above Ā£150,000 per week ā overtaking star team-mates like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon.
Liverpool could test their resolve given their handsome transfer budget, even after signing Florian Wirtz for a Ā£116m club-record fee, the report adds.
MORE ON ISAK ON F365
šĀ Newcastle delete Isak social media post with unfortunate two-word message amid Liverpool links
šĀ Newcastle can learn from Liverpool ā selling Alexander Isak can be for the best
šĀ Newcastle set for ārelegation troubleā if they sell Isak to Liverpool
Newcastle are apparently āconcerned an offer could be madeā for Isak in July, even if the Reds āare not thought to be actively seeking a No.9ā.
And making Isak their highest-paid player ever still wouldnāt match the wage the striker could earn at Anfield.
Isak scored an impressive 23 goals in 34 Premier League appearances last season. Only Liverpoolās Mohamed Salah scored more (29).
Heās become a world-class striker in the North East, and in classic Football Manager fashion, head coach Howe said in February that he wouldnāt swap Isak for anyone ā not even Erling Haaland.
āI love working with Alex and I wouldnāt swap him for anyone,ā he said.
āWeāve tried to help him by moulding our style of play to suit his game. I really respect Erling and what heās done in his career is unbelievable, but we really love Alex.
āI donāt think you can compare Alex to anyone.
āAlex is very, very different to any other striker Iāve seen or worked with.
āHe does things that arenāt like your traditional centre-forward. Heās almost a winger combined into a strikerās mentality because his footwork and dribbling ability is so good.
āThatās almost winger-like and then you put him into the middle of the pitch and, with his pace and technical ability and exceptional finishing, heās sort of got the whole package linked into one.
āHeās very unique and Iād encourage him to stay that way.ā
Meanwhile, Newcastle have failed with a Ā£45million bid for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga.
READ MORE:Ā Newcastle transfer blow as Ā£45m winger bid ārejected without a counterā ā Ornstein
