'Very, very, very close' - Former Barcelona chief makes surprise admission about Newcastle ace Alexander Isak

Former sporting director Ramón Planes told Sport in Spain that La Blaugrana were close to signing Isak while he played in La Liga for Real Sociedad, but it "was not to be". Isak instead completed a £63 million (€72m/$83m) move to Newcastle United, and the rest is history - though surprising reports have stated in recent days that Isak returned to Real Sociedad to train alone amid speculation over his future. 

The coup of Isak was huge for the Magpies at the time and demonstrated their ambition to become one of Europe's elite clubs. Since becoming Newcastle's record signing, Isak has scored 54 Premier League goals in 86 appearances but now reportedly wants to make a British-record move to Liverpool.

Planes said: "Then there have been players which had been able to come but it was not possible. I remember the case of Isak, a player who I particularly liked a lot. I saw him as a striker with a Barça profile, a very associative striker, a striker with a lot of mobility. I liked him a lot at Real Sociedad. I would say to you that we were also very, very, very, close at the time, very close. But it was not to be."

The future of Isak will be a point of major interest across the Premier League and beyond in the remainder of this summer transfer window. While the emergence of fresh links with Barcelona appears unlikely at this point in time considering the club's financial situation, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the Catalan super club target the Sweden striker once again at some point in the future. In the meantime, it remains to be seen if Liverpool will submit a second bid for the Newcastle man.