Liverpool are reportedly prepared to smash their transfer record for a second time this summer, with Newcastle striker Alexander Isak now at the top of their wishlist.
According to Daily Mail, the Premier League champions are willing to go beyond the £125 million mark for the Sweden international, a deal that would set a new British transfer record if completed. The report states that Liverpool will only make a move if they receive encouragement from the player’s camp.
Isak is currently in Austria with Newcastle’s pre-season squad, but talks over a new contract have stalled. The Magpies are said to be keen to improve his current £120,000-per-week wages, but no progress has been made in recent months.
Liverpool have already spent big this summer, bringing in Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, followed by full-back Jeremie Frimpong and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez. However, the addition of Isak would represent the club’s boldest move yet.
Reports indicate that Liverpool remains interested in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who has already attracted a £70 million bid from Newcastle. However, Frankfurt is seeking closer to €100 million (£86 million) and is not satisfied with the structure of the current offer. Ekitike is being considered as a potential alternative if Alexander Isak becomes unattainable.
Other forwards mentioned include Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, the latter discussed during talks involving Darwin Nunez. Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford was also name-checked in early conversations, but no move is expected.
Meanwhile, Liverpool immediately rejected a £58.5m bid from Bayern Munich for Luis Diaz. The club value the Colombian at around £86m, the same figure Manchester United reportedly turned down for Bruno Fernandes earlier this summer.
While Diaz is understood to have a strong affection for Liverpool, sources in Colombia suggest the 28-year-old feels his current wages do not reflect his value to the team. There have been no signs of a contract renewal so far, and Barcelona are also said to be keeping an eye, although no contact has been made.
Napoli remain the only club to have approached Darwin Nunez, but their offer of £55m including add-ons was rejected. Liverpool are hoping to recoup at least £70m for the Uruguayan forward, who joined in 2022 for a club-record £84m at the time.
Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton are also attracting interest, and Liverpool are expected to oversee more outgoings before the end of the window.
