Liverpool’s pursuit of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak is closely linked to a complex transfer chain involving Yoane Wissa, reported by Fabrizio Romano and detailed on Empire of the Kop. Liverpool’s initial £110m bid for the 25-year-old Isak was firmly rejected by Newcastle, who have valued the player at around £150 million and will only consider a sale if they secure a replacement striker this summer.

Newcastle’s replacement target appears to be Yoane Wissa, currently at Brentford, whose own move is contingent on Brentford finding a replacement for their winger Dango Ouattara. Ouattara’s potential move to Brentford’s rivals would then release Wissa to join Newcastle, enabling Newcastle to free up Isak for transfer to Liverpool. Alex Crook explained on talkSPORT that Liverpool are “waiting for the nod from Newcastle” that the chain of moves is underway before submitting a fresh bid for Isak.

This domino effect implies that the resolution of the Isak transfer depends on several interlinked transfers happening smoothly across Premier League clubs. Despite the initial rebuff, there is confidence that a settlement will be reached before the transfer window closes on September 1, 2025.

Adding to Liverpool’s summer transfer activity, the club has also secured 18-year-old Italian defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma for around €35 million. This move was pursued despite late interest from Manchester United and Newcastle trying to hijack the signing. Leoni is expected to join Liverpool’s first team immediately rather than being loaned back to Parma, showing the club’s confidence in his readiness for Premier League football.

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