Here come Liverpool! Reds ready British-record £130m bid for Alexander Isak as Newcastle close in on Nick Woltemade as replacement

Eddie Howe’s side have fought hard to resist selling their talisman, but signs are beginning to show that the club are preparing for life without him. Newcastle have already agreed a £69m ($93m) deal for Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, a highly-rated German international seen as a long-term replacement for Isak. In addition to Woltemade, Howe is exploring other attacking reinforcements, including Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.

The Magpies have slapped a £150m ($202m) price tag on Isak, hoping to either ward off suitors or extract maximum value. Liverpool’s opening offer of £110m ($148m) earlier this month was swiftly rejected, but the Merseyside club are determined to test Newcastle’s resolve with a new package worth £130m before add-ons. Sources suggest the total could creep closer to Newcastle’s asking price through performance-related bonuses, making this one of the most expensive deals in Premier League history.

Behind the scenes, relations between Isak and Newcastle have soured dramatically. The striker, who joined the club just three years ago, has reportedly been training away from the first team after a furious bust-up over his desire to leave. Supporters, once adoring of the Swede, are now turning on him after he openly accused the club of failing to keep promises about letting him leave if a major opportunity arose. 

With just four days left in the summer window, the clock is ticking. For Liverpool, this pursuit has been brewing for months. They have long admired Isak’s blend of pace, power, and precision finishing, seeing him as the perfect heir to lead their forward line in a new era. The Merseysiders have already beaten Newcastle to the signing of Hugo Ekitike earlier in the summer and also captured Florian Wirtz, signalling a squad revamp designed to maintain their grip on the league. Isak is viewed as the missing piece, who is a proven Premier League striker capable of firing them to further glory.