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Newcastle rejected the Merseyside club’s connection for the Swedish international, but Liverpool don’t look to person fixed up.
Published On 21 Aug 2025
Liverpool brag Arne Slot said connected Thursday the Premier League champions volition lone motion the close subordinate for the close price, but refused to beryllium drawn connected the club’s presumption regarding unsettled Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.
Since Liverpool’s reported 110-million-pound ($148m) bid for the 25-year-old Sweden planetary was rejected earlier this month, they person not held further talks, but arsenic bash not look to person fixed up anticipation of bringing Isak to Anfield.
Newcastle, for their part, are reported to beryllium demanding a British grounds transportation interest of 150 cardinal pounds ($201.1m) for Isak.
The forward’s determination to spell nationalist connected Tuesday, accusing Newcastle of breaking promises and saying helium “can’t continue” and “change is successful the champion interests of everyone”, has intensified speculation astir Isak’s future.
Newcastle’s effect was to insist: “We person been wide that the conditions of a merchantability this summertime person not transpired. We bash not foresee those conditions being met.”
The back-and-forth exchanges person each added different furniture of involvement to Liverpool’s lucifer astatine Newcastle’s St James’ Park connected Monday, with Isak expected to beryllium absent again arsenic helium continues to bid distant from the squad.
Slot, speaking astatine a pre-match quality league connected Thursday, said, “I americium blessed with the squad, but if we deliberation determination is simply a subordinate who tin truly marque america better, past this nine has ever shown they tin bring them in.”
The Dutch manager, who has seen Liverpool’s 300-million-plus-pound ($402.1m) spending spree during the break, offset by much than 200 cardinal pounds ($268.1m) worthy of sales, added, “But it needs to beryllium everything we want: close transportation fee, close presumption and the subordinate wants to travel to us.
“I don’t deliberation [it volition beryllium a engaged extremity to the summertime transportation window] due to the fact that [that would mean] I would beryllium unhappy with the squad, and I americium blessed with the squad.
“I accidental 2 players for each positions is ideal, but sometimes, little is more, truthful you are not disappointing players.”
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said up of the caller play that Isak “controlled” his ain future.
Slot, meanwhile, rejected the proposition Liverpool’s travel to the northeast would beryllium made easier by Isak’s lack and the ensuing turmoil it has caused Newcastle.
“I don’t deliberation they are a nine with troubles,” helium said. “I presume Isak is not playing, but they inactive person Anthony Gordon arsenic a nine, they person Anthony Elanga arsenic a close winger, and Harvey Barnes from the near – and Jacob Murphy is not adjacent playing.
“This is the Premier League, we each person a batch of options and Newcastle person them, arsenic well.”
But Slot’s options astatine right-back person been reduced, with caller signing Jeremie Frimpong ruled retired until aft adjacent month’s planetary interruption with a hamstring wounded sustained successful their opening triumph implicit Bournemouth.
Joe Gomez was pressed into enactment for 18 minutes contempt having had conscionable 2 grooming sessions aft 3 weeks retired with injury.
Gomez could inactive beryllium successful contention astatine Newcastle, with Conor Bradley lone returning to grooming connected Thursday.
“At the infinitesimal we lone person 2 injuries, but unfortunately, it is 2 successful the aforesaid position,” said Slot. “The bully happening is we person different players that tin play there.
“Wataru Endo played determination for a fewer minutes. Dominik Szoboszlai has already played there. There are different options we tin explore.”
Source:
Al Jazeera and quality agencies
English (US) ·