Newcastle chiefs have reportedly been left furious with Liverpool over their failed approach to sign Alexander Isak. The Reds have been chasing his signature for a number of weeks, having initially reached out to the Magpies last month. They submitted their first official bid on Friday but it was immediately turned down by the Tyneside club.
Liverpool were said to have tabled an offer in the region of £110million but Newcastle were quick to rebuff their advances. It has since been reported that a second bid will not be forthcoming, with the Reds having pulled out of negotiations. Newcastle have made it clear that Isak, who is desperate to join Liverpool, has a price tag of £150m.
Club chiefs have been left ‘baffled and angry’ with the way the Reds have approached things, according to the Daily Mail.
They are said to be furious that Liverpool submitted a lowball offer, which they knew was going to be rejected, before walking away. Senior figures at Newcastle reportedly believe Isak has been ‘strung along’ and ‘left high and dry’ by the club he wants to join.
Others are convinced that Anfield chiefs only made the offer to ‘save face’ and placate Isak and his camp, who are doing everything in their power to force through an exit.
The report adds that if Liverpool decide to return to the table at a later date, Newcastle would only consider selling Isak in exchange for a ‘fair financial package’. They would also need to have a replacement lined up for the move to go ahead.
Isak has reportedly been told that he is ‘going nowhere’ unless Liverpool come back in with an offer which aligns more closely with Newcastle’s asking price.
The striker was left out of the Newcastle squad which travelled to the Far East for games against Arsenal, Tottenham and a K-League XI. He has since travelled to Spain to prepare for the new season at Real Sociedad’s training facilities.
Newcastle are said to be eyeing Ollie Watkins as a potential replacement for Isak, who remains tied down until the summer of 2028.