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Newcastle United has reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, as it scrambles to conclude the summer transfer window on a high note amid the ongoing Alexander Isak saga.
The Magpies kicked off their Premier League season without a recognised centre-forward in their ranks, with Isak on strike and Callum Wilson having departed on a free transfer to West Ham. Eddie Howe was compelled to utilise winger Anthony Gordon in the position as they failed to score in a 0-0 draw against a 10-man Aston Villa on Saturday.
Newcastle has missed out on Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, both of whom have joined Chelsea, Hugo Ekitike, who has signed for Liverpool, and Benjamin Sesko, who chose Manchester United. Their pursuit of Yoane Wissa has also been met with frustration, as he remains a Brentford player after a bid was turned down this week.
Howe is keen to sign two strikers before the window shuts on September 1, amidst uncertainty surrounding Isak following his public expression of anger at the club for blocking a move to Liverpool. This has led Newcastle to target Strand Larsen, who scored 14 goals in 35 Premier League matches last season.
The Express and Star reports that while Newcastle has yet to engage in discussions with Wolves, it has made headway with the Norway international. Although he is not pushing for a move, he would be eager to play Champions League football this season and has agreed personal terms.
There remains one glaring obstacle to any potential deal, however, with Wolves placing a $80M (£60m) price tag on its striker. Having spent last season on loan, Strand Larsen only became a permanent fixture at the club earlier this summer.
Wolves shelled out $31M (£23m) to Celta Vigo to secure his services permanently, having initially paid $3.4M (£2.5m) as a loan fee.
They would consequently pocket a substantial profit from Strand Larsen's departure, though his exit would leave manager Vitor Pereira desperately short of attacking options.
His circumstances differ markedly from those surrounding Wissa. The Brentford forward has wiped all references to his current club from his social media profiles and is eager to engineer a switch to St James' Park. Yet Brentford remain steadfast regarding their $67M (£50m) asking price, which has stalled proceedings.
Brentford have wrapped up the acquisition of Dango Ouattara from Bournemouth, though he is viewed as Bryan Mbeumo's replacement following the latter's departure to Manchester United, rather than Wissa's. All of this unfolds whilst Isak remains isolated at Newcastle, training alone, awaiting Liverpool's next move.
The Reds have yet to table a second proposal following their initial £110m approach being turned down, but Isak broke his silence this week. "The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time," he declared. "To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.
"When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can't continue. That's where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interests of everyone, not just myself."
Newcastle issued their own statement, refuting the claims whilst indicating that Isak could potentially be brought back into the squad should their asking price not be satisfied.
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