Fabrizio Romano provides huge Alexander Isak Liverpool update as he won’t play Newcastle games this weekend

Liverpool’s summer transfer window has been anything but quiet, yet in the middle of all the rumours, negotiations, and tactical reshuffling under Arne Slot, one story has taken centre stage and refuses to go away — the Alexander Isak saga. It is the kind of transfer story that grips the football world because it has everything: a top-tier striker in his prime, a club desperate to hold on, a buying club desperate to take him, a player whose mind seems already made up, and a ticking clock as the final weeks of the window draw near.

This is not just idle gossip. Two major updates have surfaced within the last 48 hours, one from none other than Fabrizio Romano — football’s most reliable voice when it comes to transfers — and another from the Daily Mail. Both updates point to one conclusion: the Alexander Isak-to-Liverpool move is alive, dangerous, and edging closer to becoming reality.

Let’s start with the Romano revelation. Speaking to his massive online audience, Romano made it clear that Liverpool have not only kept their focus on Isak throughout this window, but they are also ready to act again. The Reds already tested the waters earlier in the summer, and while Newcastle resisted, Romano says a new proposal is ready to be launched the second there’s even a hint of openness from Newcastle’s side. His exact words were blunt and dramatic: “Liverpool maintain their focus on Alexander Isak for the final weeks of the summer window. New proposal, ready to be submitted if Newcastle open doors to the move. Isak maintains his position; he doesn’t want to play or stay at Newcastle, he wants to leave and join Liverpool.”

That last sentence is the dagger through Newcastle hearts — “he doesn’t want to play or stay.” For the Magpies, this is no longer a normal transfer battle where you can negotiate from a position of strength. When your star striker has openly decided he wants out, and more specifically, wants to join a rival Premier League giant, the balance of power shifts

The Daily Mail’s update only fuels the fire further. They report that Isak will not be involved in Newcastle’s next two pre-season friendlies this coming weekend. That absence is more than just a precaution; it’s a signal. Clubs can deny transfer speculation all they like, but when a player suddenly becomes unavailable for matches without injury, fans know something bigger is brewing behind the scenes.

For Liverpool, this is the perfect opportunity. They are reigning Premier League champions under Slot and are aiming to build an attack that terrifies defences across Europe. Isak, with his mix of height, pace, finishing instinct, and big-game mentality, looks like a striker carved out for Anfield football. He is not just a goalscorer — he is a match-winner. Last season alone, he netted 27 goals in 42 appearances, proving himself one of the most lethal forwards in the world. And Liverpool fans will never forget that it was Isak who struck the decisive blow in the Carabao Cup final against them last season, breaking their hearts on one of the biggest domestic stages.

That goal, ironically, may have been the moment Liverpool’s recruitment team decided that if they couldn’t stop him, they should sign him. It’s the same kind of ruthless thinking that saw the club sign players like Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker in years gone by — targeted, decisive, and game-changing transfers designed to lift the entire team’s ceiling.

The statistics only make the case stronger. Since joining Newcastle, Isak’s numbers have improved season after season. In 2022/23, he scored 10 goals in 27 games — a respectable start. In 2023/24, he exploded to 25 goals in 40 matches, helping Newcastle return to Champions League football. And last season, he reached new heights with 27 goals in 42 games. His trajectory is pointing upwards, his confidence is sky-high, and at 25 years old, he is entering what many believe will be the peak years of his career.

From Liverpool’s perspective, pairing Isak with Mohamed Salah could create one of the most dangerous frontlines in football. Salah’s ability to drag defenders out of position and create space, combined with Isak’s instinctive movement and clinical finishing, would be devastating. Throw in players like Cody Gakpo, Luis Díaz, and Darwin Núñez (if he stays), and Liverpool would have a rotation of forwards capable of overwhelming any defence in the Premier League or Champions League.

But this is not going to be straightforward. Newcastle, despite knowing Isak wants out, are in no mood to sell cheaply. Reports earlier this week suggested they slapped a huge price tag on the striker — figures as high as £150 million have been mentioned. That valuation, understandably, has caused frustration within Liverpool’s boardroom. The Reds are willing to pay big for the right player, but they will not be bullied into breaking financial logic. Their hope is that Isak’s determination to leave, coupled with his absence from pre-season games, will eventually push Newcastle towards a more reasonable negotiating stance.

And make no mistake, Isak is pushing. According to sources close to the player, he believes this is the perfect time to make the jump. Newcastle have given him a platform, he has repaid them with goals, but the opportunity to join a title-winning Liverpool side — one that is in the Champions League and capable of winning it — is too good to turn down. He sees himself not just as another squad player at Anfield, but as the focal point of Slot’s attack.

For Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, this is a nightmare scenario. Losing a player of Isak’s quality so close to the season would disrupt everything they’ve been building. Replacing him would be extremely difficult, especially in the current inflated transfer market. The Magpies are trying to hold firm, hoping that by setting such a high price tag, they can either scare Liverpool off or force them into a record-breaking deal. But history shows that when a player truly wants to leave and the buying club refuses to give up, the selling club often ends up having to compromise.

Liverpool have been here before. The saga has shades of Virgil van Dijk’s move from Southampton in 2018 and even Luis Suárez’s push to leave for Barcelona in 2014. In both cases, the player’s desire eventually forced the move through. And if Isak remains out of Newcastle’s pre-season games and continues to make his intentions clear, the pressure will only mount on the Magpies’ hierarchy.

This move would not just be about adding goals for Liverpool — it would be about sending a message. By signing one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers from a direct rival, they would be asserting their dominance in the transfer market and on the pitch. It would tell the rest of the league that the champions are not resting on their laurels — they are strengthening from a position of power.

Romano’s update feels like the calm before the storm. The “new proposal ready to be submitted” line suggests Liverpool are simply waiting for the smallest crack in Newcastle’s resistance before making their move. And when that bid comes, it will be designed to test their resolve. The coming days could therefore be decisive.

In the end, the Alexander Isak saga is now a three-way battle of willpower — Liverpool’s determination to get their man, Newcastle’s stubbornness to keep him, and Isak’s personal desire to push for his dream move. One side will have to give, and history tells us it’s often the selling club that eventually does.

If Liverpool succeed, they won’t just have signed a striker. They will have secured a player who fits their style, boosts their firepower, and brings the kind of hunger and ambition that wins titles. The only question now is how long Newcastle can hold out before reality forces their hand.