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Alexander Isak is not a striker who needs an elaborate introduction. He’s quick, intelligent, and elegant in motion. A modern Number 9 who can score, link, create, and glide past defenders like a winger trapped in a centre-forward’s body. Since arriving at Newcastle United, he’s not just proved he belongs at the top level, he’s hinted, often quietly, that he might be destined for even a bigger stage.
Now, he wants to leave.
According to reports, Isak has made it clear he’s open to a move this summer, with Liverpool emerging as his preferred destination. But there’s a problem. Most of Europe’s big clubs have all made their striker moves. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and many more.
Isak’s timing isn’t the only issue. There’s the price.
According to the Athletic UK, Newcastle want £150 million. Add agents’ fees, Premier League levies, and the wages of a player who belongs at the top table, and you’re staring at something closer to £250m over five years.
Who can make a move for Isak?
In Italy, Juventus are still digging themselves out of a financial black hole.
Inter and Milan are slowly recovering, but Isak’s fee would eat up almost half of their yearly revenue.
Napoli, Maybe the most realistic. But even they have a wage bill smaller than Newcastle’s, and this deal would blow their structure wide open.
In Germany, Frankfurt have cash, but signing Isak would swallow 70% of their entire annual turnover. Dortmund have already spent the Club World Cup money and tend not to break their wage ceiling. Bayern could afford him. But they’re more interested in Diaz, and Isak isn’t exactly a pressing need when you’ve got Kane.
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In France, it’s PSG or bust.
And as always, they could do it. Champions League and Club World Cup money is rolling in, and no league has more financial freedom than Ligue 1. They’re still under UEFA’s spending watch, but moving on someone like Randal Kolo Muani could make space.
If they want him, they’ll get him. But do they?
In Spain, Atletico Madrid don’t have a chance, Barcelona can barely register the players they already have. Real Madrid? They have Kylian Mbappe.
So, probably no takers in Spain either.
In the Premier League, Tottenham have PSR headroom but don’t typically pay £250k-per-week wages, and have other areas to fix first.
Chelsea, hilariously, do have PSR space, but they’re in UEFA’s settlement system, and already need to sell before they can even balance their Champions League squad.
Arsenal were once thought to be the ideal Isak club. But they’ve signed Gyökeres.
Manchester City have no PSR issues, but there’s no footballing reason to go for Isak.
For Manchester United, technically possible on a PSR front, but their actual transfer cash has been sucked up. Over £300m in debts, and already heavy spending on Cunha and Mbeumo. Unless INEOS pull another emergency lever, it’s hard to see this one.
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Liverpool, somehow, the likeliest landing spot.
They’re well-run. Their debt is low. Their revenues are rising. They’ll likely need to sell Diaz, Darwin, maybe even Harvey Elliott, but if those go through, the door opens.
Down to Saudi Arabia, Al Hilal can buy him tomorrow. But here’s the catch: Newcastle and Al Hilal are both owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, PIF. That means under UEFA rules, any transfer between them is booked as zero profit. In other words, it doesn’t help Newcastle meet PSR.
So even if Al Hilal spend £150m, Newcastle can’t log any accounting benefit, which complicates things.
So, what now?
Isak wants a move. He deserves one. But the striker market is drying up fast. And if nothing shifts soon, he might have to stay exactly where he is and remain stuck between ambition, accounting, and a transfer window that simply moved on without him.
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