Alexander Isak price-drop mooted as Liverpool see ‘signs of Newcastle’s resolve weakening’

Liverpool may not have to pay £150million for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, according to a source, who has also revealed whether Arne Slot and Richard Hughes have any alternative in mind should the Reds miss out on the Swedish star.

Isak has gone nuclear with his desire to leave Newcastle for Liverpool, ever since TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported on July 24 that the striker has told last season’s Carabao Cup winners that he wants to move on. Liverpool have had a bid of £110m (€127m, $149m) plus add-ons for Isak already rejected, while the 25-year-old has already agreed on personal terms with the defending Premier League champions.

This week, Isak went public with his desire to leave Newcastle, revealing on Instagram that the Premier League club have broken a promise to him.

While the Magpies refuted the suggestion in a public statement, they maintained that manager Eddie Howe would welcome him back in the team.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Liverpool are planning an imminent bid of £130m (€150m, $176m) for Isak, even though Newcastle are said to value the striker at £150m (€173m, $203m).

The Liverpool Echo’s Chief Liverpool FC Writer, Ian Doyle, though, has claimed that there are signs that Newcastle’s stance on Isak is softening, adding that the deal could be sealed for £130m (€150m, $176m).

Doyle told The Liverpool Echo: “Every club has a contingency plan. But there is a nagging suspicion Liverpool are intent on signing Alexander Isak and won’t settle for anyone else.

“Whether that’s a wise move will become more apparent over the next nine days. Intriguingly, there could be parallels to the Virgil van Dijk situation if Isak doesn’t arrive this summer.

“After the expected move for Van Dijk before the 2017/18 season was thwarted by Southampton, there were relentless calls for Liverpool to sign another centre-back.

“The club resisted, and sure enough the Holland international was in situ less than six months later.

“Isak looks like he will come to Anfield sooner rather than later, and there have certainly been signs of Newcastle’s resolve weakening in recent days.

“Might a £130million deal sort it? It wouldn’t be a shock.”

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No Alexander Isak plan B for Liverpool

According to Doyle, Liverpool manager Slot and sporting director Hughes do not have a Plan B if they fail in their quest to sign Isak from Premier League rivals Newcastle before the summer transfer window closes on September 1.

Doyle noted: “Liverpool undoubtedly remain short in attack but the current alternatives aren’t massively appealing.

“Talk of Rodrygo of Real Madrid appears agent-driven and his reported financial package wouldn’t make much sense for the Reds.

“Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid is another name but the suggestion is he left Manchester City because he couldn’t settle in England and the North West in particular.

“Should Isak not move to Liverpool before the September 1 deadline, it may be that the Reds try again in the New Year and continue for the first half of the season with their current attacking options.

“Don’t be surprised if there is no Plan B.”

Liverpool will return to action on Monday night when they take on Newcastle United away from home at St. James’ Park in the Premier League.

Ahead of the match, Newcastle boss Howe has said that Isak will not feature for the Magpies, reiterating that he wants the striker to stay.

Howe said: “The club has to act in the best interests of Newcastle United. It will do that in every situation.

“I think it is a lose/lose situation to a degree for us because I don’t think we can come out of this winning in any situation.

“And that’s why I’ve said all summer it’s a difficult situation for the club to manage.

“We love Alex in the sense of what he’s done for the football club since he’s been here, what he’s contributed, what he’s given, how professional he’s been.

“This has just been an unfortunate few months. It looks like it is coming to an end, or it will come to an end pretty quickly and then we can focus on the football again.

“There has been no change. No, he won’t be part of the squad for this weekend’s game.

“My preference for these things is it doesn’t happen publicly because I think everything is better dealt with behind closed doors.

“But needs must and this situation the club has spoken, and probably justifiably so in that moment.”

The Newcastle boss continued: “Yeah, of course (I still hope he can be reintegrated into the squad). He’s contracted to us, he’s our player.

“My wish is that he would be playing on Monday night with us. But he won’t be and that is regrettable at this moment. But 100%, I want to see him back in a Newcastle shirt.

“I think that’s probably a conversation for another day (how do you integrate Isak). At the moment, that is not an option for us.

“Rather than talk hypotheticals, I’d rather talk when we get there, when we get to that point.

“Then of course we’ll enter that phase and see what we need to do to try and get the best for Alex, get the best for the team, which is always the priority.

“But until that point, I think we’re best focusing on the players we have available for the next game.”

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