Liverpool are locked in a game of cat and mouse with Newcastle over the potential transfer of Alexander Isak.

The Reds are hoping to sign Isak for a British record transfer fee having identified him as their number one striker target.

However, Newcastle are desperate to hold onto their top scorer from the past two seasons and are fighting tooth and nail to keep him at the club.

The Magpies rejected an opening offer from Liverpool on Friday and although the Reds are expected to return for Isak, it remains to be seen which way the cards fall.

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One thing working massively in Liverpool’s favour is that Isak clearly wants the move to happen.

The Swede has been training at the facilities of former club Real Sociedad instead of going on tour with Newcastle.

There have been reports that Isak will return to Newcastle on Monday, but according to French journalist Julien Laurens, the 25-year-old is now simply ‘waiting’ to join his new club.

Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images

If Isak does not return to Newcastle training when scheduled to do so, the cat will really be set among the pigeons.

In the meantime, Laurens appeared on ESPN’s YouTube channel to detail what has been going on with Isak in San Sebastian, including referring to a talk with Liverpool boss Arne Slot.

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“You would expect Liverpool to up their offer, probably to around 140 million Euros and you would expect, really, Newcastle to accept it and Isak to arrive at the club,” the reporter predicts.

“Isak right now only wants Liverpool, he doesn’t want to go anywhere else.

He’s training on his own in San Sebastian, at Real Sociedad’s training ground, just waiting literally for the move to happen to Liverpool.

He’s already spoken to Arne Slot, I think personal terms have already been agreed or certainly not far from it.”

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“So, now it’s just a case of Liverpool finding an agreement with Newcastle and also Newcastle finding a replacement,” Laurens adds.

“Whether that’s Sesko, Watkins, Wissa, they’ve got a few names on their shortlist, but they also need to find a replacement before this whole deal with Liverpool for Isak happens.”

Clearly, Liverpool have already done some good business this summer even if Isak does not end up joining.

However, the former Borussia Dortmund man is obviously the player that Slot wants to complete his attack.

There have been some suggestions – mainly from rival supporters – that Hugo Ekitike has made a mistake in joining Liverpool with Isak potentially on the way as well.

But it is clear that Slot always wanted both players, either to compete for the starting spot or to play alongside one another.

Isak is a ‘ruthless’ striker who could take Liverpool to another level, and Slot must be rubbing his hands together at the thought of adding him to the group.


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