(Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media/Imago)

Jonathan Burnett

Fri 8 August 2025 12:05, UK

Alexander Isak’s big-money move to Liverpool won’t progress any further until Newcastle United can secure a replacement for the striker.

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Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson argued that Newcastle’s “inability” to secure top transfer targets has caused Isak’s exit to stall.

Liverpool have already seen a record £110million bid for Isak rejected by Newcastle with the 25-year-old expected to cost up to £150m, and the Sweden has made his intentions to leave the club blatantly clear.

Newcastle are eventually expected to sanction Isak’s move to Anfield this summer, but Robinson has told Football Insider that this won’t occur until the Magpies have identified and signed a direct replacement.

Isak was one of the Premier League’s leading strikers last season (Credit: Imago)

Eddie Howe had made Benjamin Sesko his top target to replace Isak at St.

James’ Park and did his best to convince the RB Leipzig striker to make the move, yet this still hasn’t been enough to convince Sesko.

The Slovenian is instead on his way to Manchester United as the Red Devils close in on a £74m deal for Sesko, and Robinson said that this latest rejection sends Newcastle back to square one in the market.

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Robinson told Football Insider that Liverpool want to complete Isak’s record-breaking transfer as soon as possible, but Newcastle will continue to “dig their heels in” as the search for a replacement continues.

This article contains exclusive comment from Paul Robinson, a football pundit and former England, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United goalkeeper.

Newcastle have identified Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson as another number nine option after missing out on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool and Sesko to Man United, but that deal is still a long way off from completion.

Speaking on the latest Inside Track podcast, Robinson said the ball is still in Newcastle’s court when it comes to Isak’s future, but both parties’ frustrations will only grow as Howe struggles to replace him.

“The problem that they’ve got is Newcastle’s inability to bring players in at the moment”, Robinson told Football Insider.

“He’s such a big player, such a big influence, with the hole that [Isak] leaves, Newcastle will dig their heels in.

“If they don’t get Sesko, where do Newcastle then go?

They’re not just going to let Liverpool knock on the door and say ‘can we take Isak?’ – ‘Yeah, no problem’.

“Newcastle are going to be very, very resilient, and even more so if they’re unable to bring players in.

Newcastle have missed out on another target in Benjamin Sesko (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

“Liverpool want to get the deal done immediately.

They want to get the deal done as soon as they possibly can.

“From Newcastle’s point of view, Isak’s not going anywhere until they get a suitable replacement, because looking at what they’ve got in that area of the pitch, they’re light anyway.

“It’s going to be an interesting backwards and forwards in the next couple of weeks.”

Isak’s head was turned towards Anfield some time ago, and after Liverpool’s initial approach coincided with Ekitike making a £69m move to the Reds, Newcastle effectively lost out on securing both strikers.

As Isak trains alone and distances himself from Howe’s first-team activities at Newcastle, his seemingly inevitable exit from St.

James’ remains on ice as Sesko becomes the latest to turn the Magpies down.

Yoane Wissa is seemingly the only wantaway striker with a public desire to move to Newcastle, but it’s unclear if the Brentford frontman is seen as enough of a true ‘successor’ to Isak in the North East.

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