Newcastle is said to have increased Alexander Isak's transfer price to £ 150 million, after coach Eddie Howe made notable comments related to the future of the Swedish striker and the attention from Liverpool.
Isak was not named in Newcastle's squad in the 0-4 defeat against Celtic on Saturday. Initially, the team confirmed that he eliminated him from the list of competition to manage his physical strength in the pre -season period, because he was having a persistent problem in the groin.
However, coach Eddie Howe himself sparked rumors when admitting after the match that the decision of Isak was because of his rumors about his future. “He moved with the team to Glasgow but I decided to let him return because he had too much rumored around him. I didn't want him to sit in the stands like that,” Howe said.
Despite affirming that Isak “is still a member of Newcastle”, Howe cannot be 100% committed to the future of this player: “I never say it is absolutely absolutely about anyone. This is football, you never know what can happen.”
Earlier, Liverpool was strongly contacted with Isak, and The Telegraph revealed that coach Arne Slot's team is ready to spend £ 120 million to recruit him. However, Newcastle is believed to have maintained the £ 150 million, higher than the current Premier League transfer fee, 106 million pounds that Chelsea spent on Enzo Fernandez in 2023.
Notably, just a few days ago, many reputable sources still think that Newcastle valued Isak at £ 120 million, resulting in speculation that the new 150 million figure may be a deliberate move to falter Liverpool, or at least a test on the market.
From the beginning of the summer until now, Newcastle has only a notable contract, Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for about 52 million pounds. Meanwhile, Isak, who scored 21 goals in the Premier League last season, was described by coach Howe as “irreplaceable”.
Although Isak's future is not over, it is clear that Newcastle does not want to lose their number one star, at least at the price of £ 150 million cheaper.