'Throws his toys out the pram' - Arsenal & Liverpool told the only way of signing £150m-rated Alexander Isak from Newcastle this summer

Isak is enjoying a fine season for Newcastle, racking up 22 goals and five assists across all competitions so far and spearheading their run to a second Carabao Cup final in three years. His performances have caught the eye of Premier League rivals, with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool heavily linked with the Sweden international.

Reports have suggested Newcastle would be unwilling to sanction a sale of Isak unless they receive an offer in the region of £150m, which would smash the British transfer record set by Chelsea's initial £106.8m move for Enzo Fernandez in January 2023. Isak's contract at St James' Park still has over three years still to run and so the Magpies are not in any immediate danger of losing him on a cut-price deal.

Ferdinand, who will be part of the Sky Sports team for the Carabao Cup Final live on Sunday from 3pm, scored 50 goals in 84 appearances for Newcastle between 1995 and 1997, and he believes the club are in strong position to keep hold of Isak.

He told GOAL: "I think that's been part of the problem at St James' Park, they get to a point where they've got really good players and unfortunately they sell them. I don't think that's how these new owners in charge of Newcastle will see things, they'll be doing everything they can in their power to keep him. They need to add to what they've got hold and try to build again. If they lose Isak, they go two or three levels back because where do you find another striker like him?

"What they have to do is convince him this club is going in the right direction and I'm sure they're doing that on a regular basis. Everyone's talking about him every week, this club's interested or that club's interested. That's in some way a compliment to him and the club that he's been able to perform. They signed him on a big contract and he's still got a few years left with them, so they're under no pressure to sell unless he throws his toys out the pram."

Newcastle are looking to end their 70-year wait for a major trophy and are in a strong position to return to European competition next season via their Premier League finish. In order to cement their place back at the top of English football, Ferdinand believes the club must be smarter with their recruitment.

He continued: "I think there's a few additions they need, and they would have made if not for financial reasons. They sold Elliot Anderson and a couple of other players at the end of last season just to fall in line. I think everyone expected when the new owners came in they were just going to splash the cash, but unfortunately because of PSR and FFP, they've had to do things a little more progressively. I think they would have had their eyes on a few players they wanted or want to bring in, it's just working out the financial packages to do that. That will make them a stronger and more consistent team wanting to be in that top four, in the Champions League and going for cups like the Carabao Cup this week."

Isak can etch his name into Newcastle history if he helps them beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday. He is set to be fit for the clash after coming off late in Monday's 1-0 Premier League win away at West Ham.

It's a Big Weekend of sport on Sky Sports and NOW, featuring the Carabao Cup Final, Arsenal v Chelsea and Leicester City v Manchester United in the Premier League, Old Firm and Steel City derbies, Australian Grand Prix, tennis from Indian Wells, and The Players Championship, all live.