Liverpool agree British record £125m fee for Isak

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Sources familiar with the negotiations have informed Sport that a deal for the Swedish international to join Anfield is now finalized.

Insiders from Newcastle report that the agreement could amount to as much as £130m, factoring in additional incentives.

Isak is anticipated to undergo a medical examination on Monday before finalizing a six-year contract.

In August, Liverpool's initial £110m bid was turned down, but they are now poised to secure their primary target of the summer.

This drawn-out incident concerning the 25-year-old seems likely to conclude on the last day of the transfer window, following Newcastle's acquisition of striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart the previous week.

Liverpool has already set a new club transfer record this summer by acquiring German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz in a deal valued at $100m initially, along with an additional £16m in performance-related bonuses.

The addition of Isak would exceed this expenditure. With the team also bringing in Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, and Giovanni Leoni, the club’s total spending would reach approximately £416.2m, excluding add-ons - the highest amount ever spent in Premier League history.

This marks only the second occasion that an English club has invested over £400m in a single summer transfer window, following Chelsea's £401.2m expenditure in 2023.

Liverpool might still expand their recruitment efforts, as they are currently negotiating a deal to acquire England defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.

At the same time, the exits of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tyler Morton, and Ben Doak have generated an estimated £190m in initial returns.

How did the Isak transfer come to be?

Isak, who made a £60m switch to Newcastle from La Liga's Real Sociedad in 2022, netted 27 goals in 42 matches across all competitions in the last season.

He played a crucial role in the Magpies clinching the Carabao Cup in March, scoring in the final where Newcastle triumphed over Liverpool. Additionally, they secured a Champions League berth by finishing fifth in the Premier League.

Earlier this summer, Isak was excluded from Newcastle's squad for their pre-season tour to Asia due to what the club termed a “minor thigh injury,” while it was believed he had a desire to pursue other opportunities.

He then trained independently at his old club Sociedad until Liverpool's first bid for his services was rejected by Newcastle.

With ongoing rumors concerning his future, Isak issued a statement stating that promises had been “broken” by Newcastle, indicating that their “relationship can’t continue.”

Sport has learned that Isak anticipated he would be permitted to depart if a prominent club emerged with an adequate offer.

Newcastle countered that “no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer.”

Nonetheless, a transfer has been agreed upon after Isak remained absent from the field and missed the first three league matches, including a 3-2 loss to Liverpool at St. James' Park.

How would the Isak transfer fee be ranked?

Liverpool's pursuit of Isak would represent one of the most significant transfers in the world of football if finalized.

Regarding the British transfer record, this deal would surpass the £107m that Chelsea paid to Benfica for Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez in 2023.

Other players like Wirtz, Moises Caicedo, Declan Rice, and Jack Grealish have all transferred for starting fees of £100m.

When considering add-ons, the Wirtz transaction could potentially become the largest of these, while Caicedo's transfer from Brighton to Chelsea in 2023 might ultimately tally up to £115m, and Rice's move from West Ham to Arsenal in the same year could reach £105m.

On a global scale, Isak's prospective transfer to Liverpool is anticipated to rank third when evaluated by initial fees.

The two most expensive transfers in football history include Neymar and Kylian Mbappe's arrivals at Paris St-Germain. Neymar joined from Barcelona in 2017 for £200m, and Mbappe initially came on loan that year, which turned into a permanent transfer costing £165.7m.

The Isak transfer could be placed just behind those high-profile moves but ahead of transfers involving Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele.

Coutinho moved from Liverpool to Barcelona in January 2018 in a deal valued at £142m, with the initial fee set at £105m, while Barcelona paid Borussia Dortmund a starting fee of £96.8m for Dembele in the previous window, which could rise to £135.5m.

Timeline of Isak transfer developments:

25 May - Alexander Isak concludes the 2024-25 season as Newcastle's leading scorer, netting 27 goals in 42 appearances.

19 July - Newcastle manager Eddie Howe states that Isak will "definitely" participate in the club's pre-season tour in the Far East following the Swede's absence due to a thigh injury during a 4-0 friendly loss against Celtic.

23 July - Liverpool finalize a £69m deal to acquire striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, who had been connected with a move to Newcastle.

24 July - Isak is omitted from Newcastle's squad for their pre-season tour due to a "minor thigh injury."

24 July - Isak reveals his intention to consider a departure from Newcastle.

28 July - Sources inform BBC Sport that Liverpool remains interested in signing Isak, despite Ekitike’s arrival.

31 July - Isak trains alone at his previous club, Real Sociedad.

1 August - Newcastle declines Liverpool's initial £110m bid for the Swedish international, and it is suggested the Reds may withdraw their interest.

4 August - Isak returns to the Newcastle training facility but is instructed to practice away from the first team.

8 August - Howe remarks that it is "clear" he "cannot involve" Isak at Newcastle in the current situation.

16 August - Isak is absent from the matchday squad as Newcastle plays to a draw against Aston Villa in their Premier League opener.

19 August - Isak mentions that promises have been “broken” by Newcastle and states that "the relationship cannot continue," although the club asserts that “no commitment has ever been made” to Isak.

30 August - Newcastle announces the signing of striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart for an initial fee of £65m.

1 September - Liverpool reaches an agreement with Newcastle for Isak at a £125m fee.