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Liverpool will hope it's third-time lucky in their pursuit of Alexander Isak in a transfer tug-of-war that has been a decade in the making.
The Reds are massive admirers of the Newcastle striker, having first explored a deal during his breakthrough years at AIK Solna.
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Liverpool have named Newcastle’s Isak as their ‘dream targetCredit: Getty
Isak originally appeared on the Anfield radar after scoring on his debut as a 16-year-old for Swedish side AIK in February 2016.
That year proved a milestone one for Liverpool's recruitment team that relied on data to build Jurgen Klopp a title-winning side.
Sporting director Michael Edwards, who has since returned to the club's Fenway Sports Group owners as their chief executive of football, then-director of research Ian Graham, and the scouting department used analytics to master the transfer market.
Klopp wanted to reunite with Borussia Dortmund's Mario Gotze that summer, but the data favoured Sadio Mane.
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The following summer, Julian Brandt turned down a switch to Merseyside and Klopp was convinced to pivot to Mohamed Salah.
In between those two transformative arrivals, a young forward dubbed the 'next Zlatan Ibrahimovic' had altered the data-miners.
However, the problem was, Isak's talent was there for all to see, having broken a 105-year-old record when he became Sweden’s youngest ever goalscorer by finding the net against Slovakia.
On his potential, his AIK team-mate, Chinedu Obasi, told Swedish outlet FotbollSkanalen: "He has great potential, and I absolutely believe that he will go far.
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"If he concentrates and continues as he is, I think he can become Sweden's next Ibrahimovic.
"He has the potential, everyone can see it."
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Isak lasted just two years at the Westfalenstadion after leaving AIK SolnaCredit: Getty Images
Liverpool faced competition for Isak's signing from Leicester, Bayern Munich, as well as Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
In the end, it was Borussia Dortmund, famed for their role in developing young players, that won the race to land him in January 2017.
The £8.6million transfer beat the record fee for a Swedish teenager set when Ajax paid Malmö for Ibrahimovic in 2001.
Former Dortmund sporting director, Michael Zorc, said: “Alexander Isak is a hugely talented striker, who many top clubs in Europe wanted to sign.
“We are delighted that he has chosen Borussia Dortmund.
Both BVB and the player himself are convinced that this transfer has great potential.”
Liverpool responded to the disappointment by capturing Dominic Solanke from Chelsea months later, but neither striker managed to find their feet at their respective new clubs.
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Newcastle smashed their transfer record to bring Isak to Tyneside from Real SociedadCredit: Getty
Unlike Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland, Isak failed to adapt to life in Germany, playing only four minutes under Thomas Tuchel at BVB.
A move to Real Sociedad in the summer of 2019 reignited the buzz surrounding him, and soon Liverpool returned to the table.
Micky Gray, who was co-commentator for Isak's player-of-the-match showing for Sweden's 1-0 win over Slovakia at Euro 2020, on talkSPORT 2, urged English sides to sign the forward.
He said: “He’s 21 years old.
He’s doing it on one of the biggest stages.
“There’s no doubt in my mind he could do it on a weekly basis in the Premier League.
We want to see top stars playing in the Premier League, and he’d be a great addition.
“I thought he was fantastic.
When he got the opportunity to run at the back line he was fantastic.
“On another day he might have got a hat-trick, but his overall performance was absolutely first class.
“He got young player of the year in LaLiga and I think we’ve got a star in the making.”
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Isak scored to help Newcastle down Liverpool to win the Carabao CupCredit: Getty
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A move to the Reds would cement the club as undoubted title favouritesCredit: Getty
It was Newcastle that took the plunge the following summer, with Klopp instead pushing Liverpool to splash the cash on Darwin Nunez.
Ironically, three seasons later, Klopp's successor Arne Slot is now attempting to flog the Uruguayan to fund a move for Isak.
And ex-Liverpool hero Danny Murphy admitted that the Reds will be favourites for the Premier League title if a fee can be agreed with Newcastle, who put a £150million price tag on him in January.
“The big thing [at Liverpool] is who comes in and who goes out,” he said on White & Jordan.
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“I’m hypothesising here, and it probably won’t happen, but there has been some news about Isak possibly going to Liverpool.
All of a sudden, of course, Liverpool are favourites.”
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