In an unprecedented move, sources in England claim that the Newcastle striker has handed in a transfer request, stating he wants to explore a move away from the club.

This could be the biggest transfer saga in a while. Alexander Isak, one of the deadliest strikers currently in world football, has told the hierarchy at Newcastle that he wants to explore a move away from the club.

Newcastle fans can’t quite believe their ears, but they aren’t the only ones. Several clubs and their sporting directors would be racking their brains. Rival fans are now in delirium, one of the world’s best strikers is on the move, and his destination is unknown.

What Happened Before Now?

Isak has always been a tempting figure for many clubs, but his contract situation at Newcastle has put many off. Although there have been rumours about him leaving the club during the regular season, there hasn’t been any concrete bid or approach.

Isak has three years left on his contract, and it would take a staggering fee to compel Newcastle to sell the striker. Newcastle have also been working to keep Isak longer at the club by trying to negotiate a new contract, but that hasn’t seen daylight. 

Big Waves in the Transfer Market

The striker market has seen a lot of activity this summer. Many clubs have been on the search for a new striker to either replace an outgoing one or bolster their attacking options.

Chelsea, for example, has gotten Liam Delap and Joao Pedro ahead of the new season. Arsenal have been pursuing Gyokeres, and according to our latest report, they have agreed on personal terms. Osimhen, who has been a major face on tabloids, has finally secured a move to Galatasaray from Napoli.

The most recent move is Liverpool’s signing of Hugo Ekitike. Now, Liverpool have been heavy favourites to sign Isak, but given his current situation and Newcastle’s insistence that the striker wasn’t for sale, the Reds opted to sign Frankfurt striker in a £79m deal. 

With Arsenal close to signing Gyokeres and Liverpool securing a deal for Ekitike, Isak’s move to leave Newcastle brings a twist to the transfer window. Where could he go, and why is he leaving?

Newcastle and Isak: The Way Forward

Isak didn’t feature in Newcastle’s 4-0 loss to Celtic in their preseason game despite transfer speculations.

Newcastle coach Eddie Howe claims that Isak didn’t feature due to a minor thigh injury. He also didn’t travel with the squad for their Asia tour due to the same injury, but breaking reports about his transfer request suggest that there may be another reason. 

For Isak, there is a chance that he could still join Liverpool despite the signing of Ekitike. Liverpool is still interested in the striker and could make a move for him. However, Newcastle may request a fee of up to £150m, given that the Newcastle striker still has 3 years left on his contract. But if Liverpool sells Diaz to Bayern, they may push for the Newcastle striker. 

Bidding for Isak is something Chelsea would probably not be interested in, as they are actively working on deals for Xavi Simons and Jorrel Hato, plus they have a lot of options in the forward, having just got Delap and Joao Pedro. 

Manchester may also be interested in signing the Newcastle striker. They have been searching for a striker all summer and have hit dead ends with Sesko and Gyokeres. Bidding for Isak seems impossible, but it’s good to keep an open mind; you never know what could happen. 

Newcastle, on the other hand, has been preparing for a situation like this. This week, they were reported to have held talks with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, and currently, they are monitoring the situation with Benjamin Sesko, who is actively pushing for a move away from Leipzig. If Isak moves away from Newcastle, they could swing in the direction of either option. 

Isak handing in a transfer request at this time is sort of bad timing. Most of the big clubs that have been searching ruthlessly for a striker have finally found their fit, and now, he decides to make himself available. With football, however, you never know what’s possible. It’s best to say that what can happen will happen; you just have to wait and watch it all unfold.