What Newcastle players have said about Alexander Isak as Liverpool make first transfer approach
Liverpool have now made their first official bid for Alexander Isak, but Newcastle want to keep hold of their star striker.
The Reds have already signed Hugo Ekitike, but Liverpool want the Sweden star as another top-class centre-forward to lead the line.
Arne Slot is building upon the team which strolled to the Premier League title last season, and this could end up being the club’s biggest-ever summer transfer window.
Newcastle are desperate to keep hold of Isak despite his desire to move to Anfield, and with a bid going in, some of his teammates have already spoken out about his situation.
Newcastle players attempt to convince Isak to stay
David Ornstein has now reported that Liverpool have made their first formal bid for Isak, in the region of £120 million plus add-ons, but this has been instantly rejected.
It is also reported that with Newcastle eager to keep Isak, his teammates have spoken to him to try and change his mind on a move, but he will not be swayed.
| Alexander Isak | Premier League (2024/25) |
| Appearances | 34 |
| Goals | 23 |
| Assists | 6 |
It has been a difficult few weeks for Newcastle amid all the ongoing speculation, and several key players have spoken out on the situation in recent weeks.
During their pre-season tour in Asia, where Newcastle fell to multiple defeats, a number of players were asked about Isak, and their responses can be found below.
- Dan Burn: “If we lost any player we’d be upset. We’re a tight-knit group who’s been together for two or three years now. Any player that leaves, it doesn’t help but from our point of view we’re just going to control what we can control. We’re looking forward to getting Alex back when he’s fit.” (July 25, OneFootball).
- Bruno Guimaraes: “I’m really close to him (Isak). He’s a good guy. He’s been through some rough things at this moment. My focus is with the lads. Isak is something I cannot control. The club has control of it. I hope he’s going to be fit when we come back to Newcastle to prepare for the new season. They told us he was there in Newcastle because of his injury. Of course he’s a top player for us and he’s going to be a miss on this trip. We need him ready as soon as possible.” (Daily Mail, July 25).
- Anthony Elanga: “For me, whenever I speak to Alex it’s always about good things. Alex, being one of the best attackers in the world, I think there’s always going to be noise around him, but he’s the type of player who is always staying focused.” (Newcastle World, July 18).
- Anthony Gordon: “I understand what Alex is going through. What I can say, for me, is that it’s been an absolute pleasure to be out of the transfer speculation for a summer! It’s the first time in about three years! It’s been so easy, so mentally refreshing. That is why I understand what Alex is going through. I feel for him. He will be going through a lot. The club is going through a lot. I hope everyone gets what they want in the end,” he added. (August 1, Daily Mail).
Liverpool confident on Isak move
Liverpool’s official bid indicates that they are confident Newcastle can be convinced to sell, and there are seemingly no issues over personal terms.
Isak has seemingly set his heart on a move to Anfield this summer, with no contract talks with Newcastle taking place at all.
- Isak scored as Newcastle beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final last season.
- Liverpool could sell Darwin Nunez in addition to Luis Diaz to make room for him.
Despite Newcastle’s squad attempting to convince him to stay, Isak is dead-set on a move to Anfield, and with the striker even refusing to go on pre-season tour, Liverpool will see it as only a matter of time before they can agree a deal.
The next step will then be for Slot to figure out how to fit Isak and Ekitike in the same team, as he looks to build a trophy-laden dynasty on Merseyside.
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