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Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has made it clear to his current employer that he wants to explore his options this summer, with Liverpool having seen an approach rebuffed earlier this month.
The Magpies are desperate to keep Isak and have remained steadfast in that stance for a number of months. But with Liverpool among those thought to hold long-term interest in signing the 25-year-old, he is prepared to consider an exit.
Isak has been left at home with Newcastle on tour in Asia. Last week, Eddie Howe pulled him out of his side's game with Celtic, and admitted that his head was not in the right place to be involved.
"It was my decision," Howe admitted. "I decided to send him home due to the speculation around him. The last thing he wanted is to be sat in the stand watching, that wasn’t fair to him.
"But I’m confident he will be a Newcastle player come the end of the window. It's difficult for me to give 100 percent clarity on any player.
"But Alex is happy at Newcastle. He loves the players, the staff, and the team. I'm confident he'll be here at the start of the season."
Despite that public showing of support and confidence in Isak, The Independent reports that Howe had privately expressed doubts over the player's future earlier in the summer — and that Chelsea is also lurking as another landing spot.
Newcastle, for its part, is still insistent that Isak won't be sold. But a mega offer, even though he still has three years left to run on his existing contract in the North East, could prove tempting.
If Isak pushes for an exit and Newcastle could get close to $200 million (around £150 million) for his services, that would free up a huge amount of PSR headroom to invest in and strengthen multiple other positions.
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Liverpool has already signed Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, with that deal having been concluded yesterday when it was confirmed. The player has since flown to Hong Kong to join up with his new teammates.
Ekitike scored 22 goals for Frankfurt last season in all competitions. Newcastle was thought to be keen on him as an option to bolster its forward line, but the 23-year-old French youth international only had eyes for Liverpool.
Liverpool.com says: Signing Isak on top of what Liverpool has already done this summer would be an incredible statement of intent. And financially, it could be plausible with a few more exits.
It does appear that the player's head has been turned. Howe must have known that was a possibility, because it does make sense. Newcastle is on the rise, but Liverpool is already a world-leader.
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