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Alexander Isak and Darwin Nunez(Image: Getty Images)

Former Barcelona sporting director Ramon Planes has revealed how he was left frustrated in efforts to sign both Alexander Isak and Darwin Nunez during his time with the Catalan giants.

The 57-year-old, who now holds the same position at Al-Ittihad, spent three years at Camp Nou between 2018 and 2021.

During his reign, Barca’s ongoing well-documented financial woes began to rear their head and the club also struggled to find a long-term successor for Liverpool cult hero Luis Suarez - who departed on a free transfer for Atletico Madrid in September 2020.

Planes has revealed that both Isak and Nunez were on his wishlist at the time, when on the books of Real Sociedad and Almeria respectively, and close to joining the club, only for Barcelona to ultimately miss out on both.

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“That was a complicated moment because we're at the end of a cycle, and the end of a cycle is always difficult for any club,” he told Sport when reflecting on Suarez’s departure.

Now it's funny when they talk about (Alexander) Isak, who is in some negotiations and has a very important offer from Liverpool.

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“There have been players who could have come and it wasn't possible.

But it wasn't to be.

“And so was Darwin Nunez.

Finding that centre forward for Barcelona for the next ten years was a challenge that wasn't possible.”

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As Planes referenced, Liverpool saw an £110m bid rejected for Isak on Friday, while Nunez is expected to leave the Reds this summer.

Liverpool signed the Uruguayan from Benfica in a deal worth up to £85m in the summer of 2022, but he ultimately struggled to convince under Arne Slot last season.

Meanwhile, Isak has shone at Newcastle since joining the Magpies from Sociedad in a club-record £63m switch in August 2022.

He has scored 62 goals in 109 appearances for Newcastle, and had also been on the Reds’ radar prior to making the switch to England.

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Now three years on, Isak has made it clear he wants to leave the Magpies with Liverpool seemingly his preferred destination of choice.


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