Liverpool have now opened ‘talks’ with Newcastle over Alexander Isak, with those talks ‘progressing well’ as a ‘very positive’ stance has been revealed in a big boost for the Reds.
Isak is currently ‘training alone’ at former club Real Sociedad as Liverpool get their ducks in a row ahead of a first bid for the striker.
But the ‘angry’ Newcastle owners expect him to be back training with his teammates next week, with Sky Sports’ Keith Downie believing the Swede will reunite with the rest of the squad when they return from South Korea.
“Eddie Howe has actually spoken about this before on the record and said the club are comfortable that Isak has got his own people,” Downie said.
“And that’s why he’s training with them. Yes, it’s out in the Basque region and not here in Newcastle. So I can see that the optics of that don’t look great as far as the Newcastle United fans are concerned.
“But I do expect Isak back here in the North East next week when Newcastle return from South Korea. They come fly back on Monday. I expect him to be back. And then I guess he’s going to have discussions with Howe, senior members of the staff here to decide what the next steps are for the Swedish international because nobody’s come in from Liverpool as yet.”
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Reports have so far suggested that Liverpool were yet to make a formal approach for Isak, but Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg now claims the Reds are in ‘talks’ with Newcastle and that Isak’s camp are ‘very positive’ a deal can be done.
Plettenberg wrote on X: Talks between Newcastle and Liverpool over Alexander #Isak are progressing well. The player’s camp are very positive about the situation. Isak is hopeful that an agreement between the clubs can be reached. A record bid will be needed. #LFC A verbal agreement in principle over a contract running until 2031 has been reached with Liverpool, as reported yesterday. @SkySportDE’
Former footballer turned journalist Jan Aage Fjørtoft claimed earlier on Thursday that the Reds are set to fall short in their big to sign the 25-year-old given they’re only willing to stretch to £130m including add-ons.
He wrote on X: ‘Understand Liverpool could be willing to pay £120m+10m in bonuses Newcastle don’t want to sell the player, but if they have to let Isak go, they want £150m’.
Fjørtoft added that along with the transfer fee disparity, the lack of ‘a replacement’, there being ‘no head of sport at Newcastle, with the decision set to be taken by PIF’ and the fact that ‘this saga can’t go on forever’ are all factors working against Liverpool to get the deal done.
