'Broken promises' - what's going on with Isak, Newcastle and Liverpool?

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Nineteen days have elapsed since Newcastle turned down Liverpool's offer of £110 million for the Swedish player, who continues to be in a deadlock regarding his future with the team.

According to Sport, Isak was under the impression that he would be permitted to leave Newcastle if a major club expressed interest and proposed an adequate fee.

On Tuesday, Isak shared a message on Instagram clarifying his absence from the Professional Footballers' Association awards ceremony, where he was recognized as part of the Premier League team of the season.

"I have remained silent for an extended period while others voiced their opinions," he stated.

"This silence has permitted individuals to promote their interpretation of events, despite their awareness that it does not accurately represent the discussions and agreements made privately.

"The truth is that commitments were made, and the club has been informed of my stance for quite some time. Pretending that these issues have only just surfaced is misleading.

"When commitments are violated and trust deteriorates, the relationship cannot persist. That is the state I find myself in now and why a change is beneficial for everyone involved, not just me."

In an additional statement, Newcastle expressed their "disappointment," stating, "We want to clarify that Alex is still under contract, and no club official has ever assured that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer.

"We aim to retain our top players, but we also recognize that players have their own aspirations, and we value their input.

"As communicated to Alex and his representatives, we must always prioritize the interests of Newcastle United, the team, and our fans in every decision. We have made it clear that the conditions for a transfer this summer have not been met. We do not anticipate those conditions being fulfilled."

Isak has been the center of attention during this summer transfer window, which concludes on September 1.

However, Liverpool has yet to submit an enhanced bid for the 25-year-old.

Will the Reds make another offer? Will he return to first-team practice in the meantime? What occurs if a deal is not finalized by the September 1 deadline?

Sport has consulted multiple sources to gather the latest information on these inquiries and what may happen next.

What is causing Liverpool to refrain from making another offer for Isak?

To understand this, we must examine Newcastle's transfer activities thus far.

After a challenging summer transfer period, their activities have begun to accelerate.

They recently acquired midfielder Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa for £40 million on Sunday, following the signing of AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw for an estimated £34.6 million earlier in the week.

This builds upon July's £55 million acquisition of Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga and the early August loan deal for England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Yet, there is a significant gap.

None of these acquisitions are strikers, and they urgently needed one after Isak's future became uncertain following Callum Wilson’s exit.

Reports indicate to BBC Sport that the absence of a follow-up offer can be attributed to Newcastle needing to finalize two striker acquisitions first.

Publicly, Newcastle has asserted that Isak is not available for transfer, yet Liverpool is aware of their pursuit for two forwards for specific reasons.

If and when Newcastle secures those two signings, Liverpool is anticipated to increase their pursuit with another offer.

Reports suggest the next proposal will start at £120m. However, currently, it remains a matter of waiting.

What is occurring with Newcastle's own search for strikers?

This brings attention back to Newcastle's quest for strikers.

Eddie Howe clearly communicated this over the weekend.

"We are not focused on any other positions," the Newcastle manager remarked after their scoreless draw with Aston Villa on Saturday.

Finding a suitable replacement for Wilson has proven to be quite difficult, let alone securing an additional striker.

Newcastle is still keen on Yoane Wissa but has yet to meet Brentford's asking price, which exceeds £40m.

The forward from the DR Congo was excluded from the squad for Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest and is eager to join Newcastle.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is one of a few forwards on Newcastle's list, but Wolves are unwilling to part with him.

Larsen had only finalized a permanent transfer to Molineux last month following a fruitful loan period during which he netted 14 goals in the Premier League.

The team has already transferred Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer.

The situations of Larsen and Wissa underscore the challenges Newcastle currently faces in persuading other clubs to release important players.

On the opening matchday, it fell to Anthony Gordon to take up the striker position, and as it stands, it would be unexpected if the winger didn't start as the leading forward against Liverpool on Monday evening.

What obstacles is Newcastle encountering in finalizing some transfers?

After missing several targets this summer, it seemed like momentum shifted recently with the successful acquisitions of Thiaw and Ramsey.

However, Newcastle has lost out on primary targets like Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko, and Joao Pedro, who have signed with other teams this summer.

Those forwards have moved to Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea respectively, and beyond competition from these clubs, other issues are also affecting the situation.

Consider the challenge of replacing Wilson, for example.

First, forwards seek regular playing time, meaning there wasn't necessarily a lineup of quality strikers eager to accept a secondary role before Isak ceased training with the squad.

Second, acquiring goal scorers tends to be costly.

Newcastle finds themselves in a significantly better financial position this summer due to large historical losses being excluded from the club's new three-year Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) cycle.

Yet, they must still exercise caution to secure what those in the organization refer to as the "right" player.

There isn’t an extensive list of potential targets, and Newcastle has realized that when a highly desired forward seems available this summer, his asking price tends to increase.

Despite the urgency, as the transfer window approaches its end, Newcastle is cautious about paying too much, as such an expenditure could impact the club's ability to make future enhancements.

If Isak doesn’t transfer, can he be brought back into the team?

This remains a significant and uncertain question.

Howe has remained clear in his communication throughout this situation: Isak is still welcome.

However, the Newcastle manager emphasized that the next steps depend on the forward, who is currently training separately from the rest of the squad.

In their announcement on Tuesday evening, Newcastle remarked, "This is an esteemed football club with a rich history, and we aim to maintain our family atmosphere. Alex is still considered part of our family and will be welcomed back when he is ready to reunite with his teammates."

It certainly felt like a long path back for Isak on Saturday after fans in the away section labeled the Swedish player as "greedy" following the goalless match against Villa.

However, time is not on Isak's side if he wishes to secure a transfer to Liverpool, especially since there are limited viable alternatives left on the market that could step up for Newcastle.

Omar Chaudhuri, the chief intelligence officer at Twenty First Group, who has previously collaborated with teams like Newcastle and Tottenham, has observed a "heightened interest in elite strikers" compared to prior years.

“Worldwide, seven forwards have moved for 50 million euros or more this window, versus two in 2024, six in 2023, and five in 2022,” he noted.

“Yet clubs should temper their expectations regarding the impact of these signings. Among the 19 forwards acquired by Premier League teams for 50 million euros or more prior to this season, only Haaland and Isak can genuinely be regarded as successful signings.”

No surprise that Howe continues to assert that the door is open.



Making an effort to reintegrate Isak might still be one of Newcastle’s more favorable strategies – and that’s saying quite a bit.