3 days ago
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Newcastle has been hit with another massive blow after already saying goodbye to Alexander Isak.
Following weeks of tense standoffs and fierce negotiations, Liverpool and Newcastle finally reached agreement on a record-breaking £125 million ($169M) deal that will bring Isak to Anfield. The expected signing has swiftly sent shockwaves across the Premier League, as Gary Neville warned of the impact that the 25-year-old’s presence on Liverpool will have.
On the heels of Isak’s departure, Newcastle scrambled to find a replacement striker to fill the large shoes of the Swede. The Magpies looked to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen, but to no avail as his agent Tore Pedersen confirmed to VG that the 25-year-old will stay put in Wolverhampton.
Newcastle attempted to pull out all the stops in hopes of convincing Wolverhampton to part ways with Strand Larsen, offering to pay well over $80 million to acquire his talents. The hefty sum would’ve marked the most expensive transfer ever involving a Norwegian player.
Yet Wolverhampton still refused to budge on Strand Larsen, who joined the national team on Monday for a private international match against Finland and subsequent World Cup qualifier against Moldova.
It didn’t take long for Newcastle to pivot in a different direction, as the club and Brentford came to a verbal agreement for the signing of Yoane Wissa. The two sides have settled on a fixed fee of $74 million, with half of the payout coming upfront and the next installment due next year.
Newcastle additionally forked over more than $90 million to bring in German striker Nick Woltemade from Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart.
For much of the summer’s transfer window, however, much of the discourse surrounding Newcastle centered around the impending move of Isak. The Solna, Sweden native refused to accompany the club on their preseason tour of Asia and did not feature for the Magpies this season while trying to force his exit from St. James' Park.
Taking to social media in early August, Isak claimed that Newcastle top brass had “broken” several of its promises made to him. "I've kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken," he wrote.
"That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn't reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.
"The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. 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."
Once Isak officially puts pen to paper on his lucrative deal with Liverpool, he will become the most expensive signing in Premier League history — narrowly edging out Enzo Fernandez, who joined Chelsea for $144 million from Benfica in February 2023.
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