1 week ago
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A big day on the transfer front for Liverpool looks to have taken yet another twist, with Newcastle’s attempts to land Hugo Ekitike failing.
It might be hard for Reds fans to be able to keep up with everything going on at the moment, with Liverpool having rejected Bayern Munich’s bid for Luis Diaz before launching its own attempts to sign Alexander Isak.
The striker has been seen by many as the dream signing for Arne Slot’s side, with a new striker likely to be among the priorities as the 2025/26 season draws ever closer, with Liverpool having played its first pre-season game at the weekend.
According to The Athletic, Liverpool has made contact with Newcastle over the potential signing of Isak. No formal offer has yet been made, but the Reds have expressed an interest in securing a deal worth $161 million (£120M).
Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak though is likely to play out amid a wider transfer standoff which also involves Ekitike. The Eintracht Frankfurt forward has been linked with both clubs, with Newcastle making the first move on Monday after a $94M (£70M) bid was launched.
According to Sky Sports though, that offer has been rejected by Frankfurt, with the Bundesliga side believing there are other clubs who have signalled they are willing to pay more for the Ekitike, who is valued at $114M (£85M).
Whether Liverpool is among those clubs is not disclosed, although it does offer an intriguing twist following the Reds’ approach for Isak.
Newcastle has remained adamant throughout the summer that Isak is not for sale, and maintained that Ekitike would not be signed as a replacement for the Swedish international, rather someone who could play alongside him.
Should Liverpool be able to conclude a deal for Isak, it would see the club break its own transfer record for the second time this summer, having already signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that could rise to $155M (£116M).
Liverpool is already in a strong position in terms of Profit and Sustainability Rules, and with Darwin Nunez being linked with an exit, plus Diaz’s future seemingly up in the air still, the Reds could strengthen their position even further, which could see them further test Newcastle’s resolve this summer.
Liverpool.com says: Seems like we've got ourselves a good old-fashioned transfer standoff on our hands, and Liverpool looks to be in a strong position, especially now with Newcastle's offer for Ekitike being rejected.
If Newcastle is serious about signing the Frankfurt striker, then it will need to up its game big time in order to blow those other clubs out of the water. Liverpool though already knows it's in a strong position that lead to it landing either Ekitike or Isak.
Therefore, if Newcastle is going to stand firm on Isak, then Liverpool will be in a position to make its move for Ekitike instead, and it would surely be a no-brainer for him which club he would choose in that scenario.
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