Revealed: Alexander Isak set to come to Newcastle's rescue over 'PSR'
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(Credit: Getty Images/Imago)
Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent
Tue 23 September 2025 8:00, UK
Newcastle United are expected to receive a financial penalty from UEFA despite acquiring huge funds from the sale of Alexander Isak.
Eddie Howe endured a torrid summer transfer window with Newcastle failing to sign the likes of Joao Pedro, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo.
Financial constraints proved to be an issue which was eventually alleviated thanks to the sale of their pricey Swedish striker.
Football Insider exclusively revealed on 24 August that Newcastle would sign two strikers upon Isak’s exit to Liverpool which later came in the form of Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade.
Yet, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, parting with the 25-year-old could not stop the Magpies breaching UEFA’s £52million loss limit.
Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media
Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider on 1 July that Newcastle and Nottingham Forest could both violate financial rules.
The former is now pending a financial penalty from UEFA which will hurt the club in the short-term but the influx of cash from Isak‘s sale should help balance the books in the long-term and prevent a more damaging punishment.
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Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, I explained: “Probably, for Newcastle, the richest club in the world on paper, but they’re not able to spend that money because of PSR, FFP, now UEFA’s loss limit as well.
“So it’s difficult for Newcastle, I think, they’ve obviously had to sell players last summer, Elliot Anderson, [Allan] Saint-Maximin, just to sort of balance the books and ensure that they didn’t get hit with any PSR penalties.
Credit: Manh Tung – Breaking Media, Imago
“So look, Newcastle find themselves having to deal with these rules and those rules are there for everyone.
So I think for Newcastle themselves, they’ll have to be smart and savvy in the transfer window.
So they can maybe spread that over the next few accounts and everything else and that might make things look a bit better.
“But look, Newcastle are frustrated at how they have to deal in the transfer market because of these rules and it won’t be any different under these UEFA rules either.”
Sources told Football Insider on 13 September that Newcastle are targeting Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke to strengthen the backline.
Credit: Imago
Some of Howe’s centre-backs are injury prone like Sven Botman which has pushed the Magpies to try and bolster the defence in the upcoming windows.
However, the new learnings of the Toon’s finances suggests that the club may return for the Dutchman and other targets in the near future when their books are more balanced.