Lewis Steele isn’t yet ruling out the possibility of a second blockbuster transfer from Liverpool this summer, following the agreement of a record-breaking deal for Florian Wirtz.
The Reds have agreed a £116m package with Bayer Leverkusen for the Germany playmaker which’d make him the most expensive signing by any English club if all add-ons are triggered (The Athletic), and he’s due to undergo his medical on Merseyside this coming Friday.
Another marquee name who’s been linked with the Premier League champions in recent months is Alexander Isak, with BBC reporter Sami Mokbel claiming last month that the Newcastle striker ‘would be intrigued’ by the prospect of joining Arne Slot’s side.
Steele not ruling out Liverpool swoop for Isak but admits it’s unlikely
In an update on his eponymous YouTube channel on Monday evening, Steele refused to completely rule out the possibility of Liverpool swooping for the Swedish marksman this summer, although he acknowledged that the finances that such a transfer would entail makes it unlikely to materialise after the big-money capture of Wirtz.
The Daily Mail’s Merseyside football correspondent said: “What we can say is that Newcastle don’t want to sell him for cheap. I’d say it’d have to be, let’s say a ballpark figure of £130m-£140m.
“Are Liverpool realistically gonna pay that in a summer where they’ve signed Florian Wirtz? It’s hard to see but I wouldn’t completely rule it out.”
Steele added: “I think the sole thing here lies with Alexander Isak. What does he want? If Liverpool do go knocking for him, he may let them in. He may have a conversation with them. As far as we’re aware, his agents have probably already spoken to Liverpool a number of times.
“It seems very tricky, and I won’t say I’ve a sneaky feeling on it like I did with Florian Wirtz, but the noise is always there.”
Is there any chance of Liverpool signing Isak this summer?
It isn’t for nothing that Steele vividly described Isak as being a ‘Michelin-starred restaurant ribeye prime cut steak’ among centre-forwards and, rather more straight-laced, as ‘one of the best strikers in the world’.
The Newcastle star was the Premier League’s second-highest scorer last season with 23 goals (surpassed only by Mo Salah’s 29) and has a tremendous record of 62 strikes in 109 appearances for Eddie Howe’s side, twice helping them to qualify for the Champions League and also winning the Carabao Cup earlier this year.
With Darwin Nunez continuing to attract interest from abroad amid an expectation that he’ll be sold this summer, Liverpool are likely to be in the market for a replacement, and the Magpies’ number 14 would be an exceptional coup if the Premier League champions manage to land him.
However, as Steele rightly cautions, the Reds could find it difficult to meet the asking price that the Tynesiders would likely demand for Isak, even with funds raised from player sales. Even if we were to offer a fee in the region of £140m, we can’t imagine Newcastle accepting it too readily.
Nonetheless, hope springs eternal, and FSG have shown with the imminent signing of Wirtz that – contrary to their long-standing reputation – they’re not afraid to spend big if they identify the perfect player for LFC.
