Newcastle United striker and Liverpool transfer target Alexander Isak has rejected a stunning contract offer worth £600,000-a-week.
Isak informed Newcastle last week that he wants to explore his options this summer despite having three more years on his current contract.
Newcastle spent £63m on the Sweden international in 2022 and have seen Isak develop into one of the best strikers in the world.
Isak scored 27 goals in all competitions last season to help Newcastle win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League.
Despite tentative transfer rumours earlier in the year, Isak was expected to stay at St James’ Park this summer – but he dropped a bombshell last week by telling Newcastle he was open to leaving.
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Isak is yet to join up with his Newcastle teammates on their pre-season tour in southeast Asia as he is reportedly managing a minor thigh injury.
Liverpool have expressed interest in signing Isak since he revealed he was open to a summer move but Newcastle still want well over £100m for the striker.
Arne Slot sanctioned Liverpool’s £69m move for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike earlier this month but the Premier League champions are also interested in bringing Isak to Anfield.
Isak has also attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, with Al Hilal offering the forward a contract worth a stunning £32m-a-year tax-free with lucrative bonuses on top.
As well as pocking £600,000-a-week over three years, Isak has been promised a further £3.6m for winning the Saudi Pro League and £1.75m for finishing as the division’s top scorer, according to The Sun.
Al Hilal finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season and recently poached Simone Inzaghi from Champions League finalists Inter Milan.
Despite the incredible sums on offer, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says Isak has rejected the approach from Al Hilal and informed the club he intends to remain in Europe.
Liverpool will not come close to matching Al Hilal’s contract proposal but can offer Isak the chance to win major trophies under Arne Slot.
As well as signing Ekitike, Liverpool have bolstered Slot’s Premier League champions with the signings of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.
Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak’s future at Newcastle
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe addressed the speculation over Isak’s future ahead of the club’s pre-season friendly against Arsenal on Sunday.
‘He is now in Newcastle getting his injury assessed. Hopefully he will be back soon and playing in the black and white shirt, that’s what we want to see,’ Howe said.
‘Of course there are things going on behind the scenes. Conversations that happen between Alex and ourselves and Alex and the club will stay private.
‘He is very popular in the dressing room and would love him to continue his journey at Newcastle. There are no contract talks taking place, that will be for a later date, potentially.
‘I certainly hope he stays. It’s football, who knows what the future will bring.’
Speaking after the game, which Arsenal won 3-2, Howe said there was ‘no chance’ that Isak would join the pre-season tour for Newcastle’s final two games in southeast Asia.
Liverpool tipped to sign Isak after ’12-month pursuit’
Ex-Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has predicted Isak will end up at Anfield and believes the club have been pursuing him behind the scenes for 12 months.
‘I can only see Alexander Isak joining Liverpool if he does leave Newcastle, which is now expected,’ he wrote in his column for CaughtOffside.
‘I think this has been something that’s been ongoing probably for 12 months or more. I think the expectation from Newcastle was that it was going to be next season that other clubs were going to bid.
‘A lot of fans will want him to be sold abroad, but it doesn’t work like that. If the player says that they’re going to down tools unless you let me go to this specific club, it’s very, very difficult for the club.’
Arsenal and Manchester United have previously been linked with Isak but the Gunners have just spent £64m to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting.
Isak would likely have major reservations about joining a United team who finished 15th in the Premier League last season.
Ruben Amorim is keen to sign a new striker, however, and has discussed two targets after missing out on his former Sporting star Gyokeres to Arsenal.
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