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As the transfer window enters its final week, the Alexander Isak saga continues to rumble on.
The striker won’t be involved on either side of the divide when Liverpool faces Newcastle United on Monday, and it seems unlikely he will be seen in the Premier League again this month. Before then, there will be a resolution to this transfer tug of war.
According to the i Paper, Newcastle remains “braced” for a second bid from the Reds, a claim also made in the Chronicle. The Magpies' valuation of the player is said to be in excess of £150 million ($203M), a figure which will likely put off Liverpool following a summer of lavish spending.
That said, Newcastle could consider lowering its asking price given the club’s PSR position. “If Isak stays now, someone will go in the future,” claims the i.
The outlet also reports that the version of events which have transpired this summer differ at Anfield and St. James Park, although there is an “undercurrent of resentment” at the latter and a suspicion that the Premier League champions have purposefully unsettled the Newcastle forward.
What’s more, Liverpool's opening offer of £110million ($149M) was seen as lowballing Newcastle, which could cause Isak to “agitate for a move.”
As per the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, this sentiment has led to the club's continuing stance that Isak is not for sale, particularly following his controversial statement on social media last week denouncing Newcastle.
“Newcastle now are not going to leave themselves short by allowing Alexander Isak to go when he is, as we stand here now, the only recognised striker in the building,” the reporter said on Sky Sports’ Sunday Supplement.
“My information is - and this was a stance which really hardened on Tuesday night - the statement and the language and the accusatory nature of it did not go down well - is that Alexander Isak is going nowhere.”
Meanwhile, the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards claims that Newcastle’s owners will only sell Isak if “someone pays ridiculous money well above market value”.
Writing on X, he added that the owner’s view is unlikely to shift, and while the Magpies continue to search for attacking options in the market, that is to replace Callum Wilson rather than Isak.
So, what is the most likely resolution?
Well, returning to the i, it reports that a new contract containing a release clause seems most likely, which would see Isak remain at Newcastle for “four or nine months more” and allow the club to source a replacement in the market.
Either way, it provides a fascinating backdrop to Monday’s Premier League fixture at St. James' Park.
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