Newcastle are prepared to go all out to ensure Alexander Isak remains at St James’ Park ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The Times now claims that the Magpies are ready to hand their top goalscorer a bumper new contract that would see him become one of the highest earners at the club.
This would see the Swede jump beyond the £150k-a-week mark, potentially outstripping top earner Bruno Guimaraes on a reported £160k-a-week (Capology).
Players
Wages (per week)
Bruno Guimaraes
£160,000
Joelinton*
£150,000
Anthony Gordon*
£150,000
Sandro Tonali
£120,000
Kieran Trippier*
£120,000
Alexander Isak
£120,000
* Weekly Newcastle wages (2024/25) courtesy of Capology (figures with * are unconfirmed)
Liverpool have financial and sporting advantage
It’s worth highlighting, following Martin Hardy’s report, that Liverpool have a significant financial advantage to exploit in our potential pursuit of Isak this summer.
Arne Slot’s side is not constrained by PSR rules, which critically means we can afford another statement transfer fee and go big on wages. The same can’t be said for Newcastle, which may lead their most valuable asset down the path of temptation.
Ultimately, the former Real Sociedad star would hardly be moving for just money – Liverpool are the Premier League champions and have already made significant upgrades to their title-winning squad.
In other words, we’re built to win now. Newcastle, on the other hand (with the greatest of respect), still feels more “project” than genuine title challenger.
Necessity could force Newcastle into selling Alexander Isak
Even if Newcastle were to rigidly stick to their guns and hold on to Alexander Isak for another year, it could come at a cost to the overall squad.
Eddie Howe’s men have already had an opening bid of £45m rejected for Anthony Elanga. Further bids, totalling £75m, for James Trafford and Joao Pedro have also fallen short of valuations.
Sure, the Premier League outfit is only £5m short of Burnley’s valuation for their 22-year-old goalkeeper. But that’s not necessarily also the case for their other targets.
As Hardy at The Times reported on Thursday: “Newcastle have not signed a big name first-team player in three transfer windows because of concerns about being in breach of PSR.
“Indeed, they had to sell Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton at the end of June last year for a combined total of £70million to fend off a potential ten-point deduction.”
Can Newcastle really resist a potential record bid for their 23-goal (Premier League goals scored in 2024/25) striker when their squad is in clear need of investment?
The Champions League may come with riches attached but also inherent dangers. Howe’s side needs to bulk up their squad to compete in Europe and hold down a Champions League spot in the Premier League.
Newcastle must remember lessons of the past in the Premier League
They’ve already experienced the consequences of failing to do so with a limp follow-up to their fourth-place finish in the 2022/23 season.
With the needs of the squad to contend with and the spectre of PSR looming, Liverpool may yet be able to edge their way into a conversation about Alexander Isak’s future.
But this remains entirely dependent on Newcastle budging on their stance. Otherwise, Isak looks a difficult deal to negotiate.
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