“The actual asking price for Alexander Isak from Newcastle — as the true cost of a major Liverpool transfer becomes clear.”

Alexander Isak has requested that Newcastle consider a possible transfer, but finding a new club might be more challenging than he expects.

Isak is one of the Premier League’s most sought-after players and had been linked with Liverpool throughout the summer as Newcastle fought to retain their star forward.

Although it looked like Liverpool would pursue the striker, Newcastle reportedly rejected their approach. This led the Premier League champions to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike—previously linked with Newcastle—for an initial fee of £69 million, potentially rising to £79 million.

Ekitike was seen as an alternative to Isak, but now Isak has asked Newcastle for permission to explore a transfer and has been excluded from their pre-season tour squad in Singapore and South Korea.

Liverpool have already spent over £250 million this summer on players like Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong to bolster Arne Slot’s title defense. If they rekindle their interest in Isak, their total spending could surpass £400 million, according to a report from The Athletic.

The report states that Newcastle would only consider selling their 25-year-old striker if offers start at £150 million—making him the third most expensive footballer ever behind Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Additionally, agent fees could add over £20 million to the cost, along with wages potentially reaching £300,000 per week.

Players such as Marcus Rashford at Manchester United and Kevin De Bruyne, who earned over £300,000 weekly at Manchester City before his departure, set a precedent for wages at this level. If Isak moves for a large fee, he could command a similar salary, potentially costing the buying club over £15 million annually.

Manchester United have reportedly ruled themselves out of signing Isak. Manchester City already have Erling Haaland as their main striker and recently signed Omar Marmoush. Arsenal, having spent over £100 million this summer, are close to signing Victor Gyokeres, while Chelsea have added Liam Delap and Joao Pedro and are looking to offload several forwards.

Liverpool appear to be Isak’s most likely Premier League destination if they can fit him into their attack alongside Ekitike and Mo Salah. Interest from Bayern Munich in Luis Diaz might help free up wages and a spot in Liverpool’s frontline.