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With just two weeks left in the summer transfer window, the next 24 hours could prove pivotal in resolving one of the Premier League's lingering transfer dramas. It comes as Newcastle could face backlash over its Alexander Isak plans.
Liverpool has been keen to bring Alexander Isak over from Newcastle, having already had one offer rejected, but now it all hinges on Newcastle's own transfer ambitions as they hunt for a replacement.
If Liverpool is to secure Isak, it may well need to fork out more than the £116 million ($157 million) Premier League record that persuaded Bayer Leverkusen to let Florian Wirtz go. Newcastle omitted Isak from their squad for Saturday's match against Aston Villa amid signs he has declined to play for the club, but a goalless draw underscored their need for a striker - whether that means retaining the Swede or splashing out to compensate for the loss of last season's top scorer.
Brentford's Yoane Wissa is among those being considered by Eddie Howe's team, and he, too, was absent from the weekend's fixtures. Earlier in the window, it seemed a £35M ($47.4M) bid might be sufficient to secure the Congolese international, but the Mail suggests that the asking price has risen to at least £50M ($67.5M).
Newcastle could conclude the window with two new strikers, having already let Callum Wilson depart for free. Goncalo Ramos, who netted for Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup, is another possibility.
The future of Isak is thought to hinge on the Wissa deal. The same source suggests that failing to secure the 28-year-old could increase the likelihood of Isak remaining at St James' Park, with the next 24 hours seen as pivotal.
"It's a difficult one to answer," Newcastle manager Eddie Howe told TNT Sports when questioned about the Isak situation. "I hope it's resolved quickly, because it's news around us all the time.
"Players have managed to shut that out and perform. We have to continue to do that. We have to cope without the narrative against us."
Newcastle's upcoming game happens to be a home game against Liverpool.
"It's always spicy against Liverpool, there's a history to the fixture. We look forward to it. We know how good they are," added Howe.
Arne Slot's reigning champions showed little need for additional firepower in their victory over Bournemouth on Friday, with four different players scoring. However, there's still a gap in the squad, with Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez both leaving this summer to help the Reds raise funds for a potential Isak move.
Federico Chiesa was among the scorers on Friday, netting his first Premier League goal, and Slot indicated that the Italian isn't going anywhere despite rumours of a summer departure.
"As long as he is here he is definitely at Liverpool and I have no reason to believe something is going to change," said the manager.
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