Alexander Isak transfer to Liverpool OFF as raging Newcastle tell striker he’s ‘going nowhere’

Newcastle United’s Saudi owners have furiously warned Alexander Isak he will NOT be allowed to leave this summer, with the club taking an extremely dim view of his efforts to manipulate an exit and with Liverpool’s dreams of a record-breaking deal now in serious danger of collapse, a trusted reporter has explained.

The 25-year-old striker is currently being forced to train away from his Newcastle teammates after making clear to the club that he wants to leave St James’ Park this summer, owing to his frustrations at their failure to significantly strengthen their squad and their failure to honour a promise to reward him with a new deal. And while Liverpool have already seen one offer rejected, worth a British record £120m (€139m, $161m) with add-ons, they are expected to come again with a new and improved bid.

It is well documented that Newcastle rate the striker in the £150m (€173m, $200m) bracket – a figure not only designed to throw Liverpool off the scent but also befitting of a player regarded as one of the world’s top strikers, who still has three years left to run on his deal.

And while Isak recently skipped their pre-season tour of Asia, before then going AWOL and embarking on his own pre-season fitness programme at the facilities of former club, Real Sociedad, his attempts at trying to force through that move to Anfield appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

Now, according to the Daily Telegraph’s Luke Edwards, who has always vehemently stressed that Newcastle do not want to sell the striker, has revealed that owners PIF are now ready to put their foot down, telling the striker in no uncertain terms that he will be made to stay.

His report begins: ‘Alexander Isak has been told by the Newcastle United board he is not for sale this summer and will not be allowed to join Liverpool in a show of defiance from the club’s Saudi owners’.

Citing their ‘steadfast position on the matter’, he insists that Isak’s behaviour has caused ‘acrimony and tension’, with Isak refusing to accept the decision with good grace.

Having been forced to train away from the main group, a resolute Eddie Howe has told Isak that he ‘will not play for the club until he gets his head around the fact that he must stay and will be denied a move’.

Edwards says Howe has been aware of the club’s stance for some time and is currently trying to smooth over relations with the striker, though that is ‘proving difficult and is severely testing his patience’.

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Edwards labels the approach from Newcastle as ‘high risk’, knowing it could alienate a £150m asset and leave them with an unhappy player kicking around on the sidelines.

However, he stresses that Newcastle are unlikely to alter their stance in the wake of a frustrating search to sign either a successor or even a player to line up alongside him, with efforts to sign both Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike coming to nothing.

The Magpies, however, have been given hope of deals for both Yoane Wissa, while sources reveal Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson has also opened the door to a move to St James’ Park after positive talks with the hierarchy.

And Howe’s dream all summer long has always been to sign a new striker to play alongside Isak, not replace him.

Newcastle, though, have resisted the temptation to discipline the player, hoping the softened stance will help reintegrate the 25-year-old back into the ranks once the realisation of his situation comes home to roost.

The stance has also been rubberstamped at a boardroom level, where it is described as having ‘universal backing’ and with co-owner Jamie Reuben also ‘belligerent in the face of a naked attempt by a player to force his way out of the club and the apparent attempts to unsettle him’.

Despite being made aware of Newcastle’s position, Edwards admits it is not out of the question that Liverpool bid again for the 139-goal striker, though sources also state that the Premier League champions have also indicated that they could walk away from a deal unless Newcastle’s stance softens.

However, the Telegraph is adamant that Newcastle’s position will not change, even if that second, increased offer, does land on their table.

Speaking after his side’s 2-2 friendly draw with Espanyol at St James’ Park on Friday night, Howe said it was “clear” that he “can’t involve” Isak as things stand.

“We’ve had discussions and it’s clear at the moment that we can’t involve him with the group,” Howe commented. “I don’t know how long that will be for, but that’s the latest.

“I’d want Alex to be playing today, I’d want him training tomorrow. We would love the player to be with us. Let me make that absolutely clear. There’s no part of me that doesn’t want that outcome, but I don’t see the current situation changing for Aston Villa.”

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Alexander Isak transfer timeline: Will Liverpool get their man?

By Samuel Bannister

February 13 – TEAMtalk’s Fraser Fletcher reveals Isak would be very interested in moving to Liverpool to play consistent Champions League football and compete for trophies.

May 22 – Fabrizio Romano reveals Liverpool have been in contact with Newcastle about Isak, without getting any encouragement a deal would be possible.

June 19 – Multiple sources agree Liverpool’s interest in Isak still persists and they could look to eclipse their record-breaking signing of Florian Wirtz.

June 20 – TEAMtalk’s Fraser Fletcher reports that Liverpool are considering making a £150m offer for Isak, who would be open to the move.

June 24 – The Times claims Newcastle are willing to break their club wage record to give Isak a new contract.

June 26 – David Ornstein confirms Newcastle have no intention of selling Isak and want to renew his contract, with the player happy after securing Champions League involvement.

July 12 – The Daily Telegraph reveals Newcastle are back in the race for Hugo Ekitike, but as someone to have in the same squad as Isak rather than replace him.

July 16 – Romano reveals Liverpool have told Newcastle they are willing to pay a record £120m fee for Isak.

July 18 – Santi Aouna reveals Al Hilal have opened talks with Isak’s agents over a move to the Saudi Pro League.

July 19 – Eddie Howe sends Isak home from Newcastle’s pre-season friendly against Celtic, confirming the decision was due to the speculation about his future.

July 23 – Liverpool announce the signing of Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.

July 24 – Absent from their pre-season tour, Isak makes the bombshell decision of telling Newcastle he wants to leave.

July 26 – Howe says there is ‘no chance’ of Isak joining up with Newcastle’s pre-season tour at a later date.

July 28 – Sacha Tavolieri claims Liverpool have agreed a five-year contract with Isak.

July 30 – Nicola Schira claims Isak will earn £250,000 a week over a contract to 2030 at Anfield.

August 1 – Liverpool have their first formal bid for Isak – worth £110m plus add-ons – rejected by Newcastle.

August 9 – Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards claims Newcastle will not sell Isak under any circumstances and will insist striker must get his head around their insistence that he will be forced to stay.