Isak And Ekitike - What Has Gone On This Week?

Liverpool are group to motion Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike and Newcastle look for illustration they are going to support clasp of prima man Alexander Isak.

But earlier this week things appeared to beryllium headed successful different guidance arsenic Liverpool group disconnected successful nan pursuit of Isak and Newcastle tabled a £70m connection for Ekitike.

Even successful nan frenetic world of shot transfers, this communicative has moved astatine a accelerated pace

BBC Sport looks astatine what has happened complete nan past 72 hours.

The starting constituent of Liverpool's move for Ekitike arrived astatine nan extremity of past season.

They'd conscionable lifted their 2nd Premier League trophy - scoring 86 goals successful nan process, nan astir of immoderate top-flight nine that campaign.

Mohamed Salah, their main root of goals, had conscionable signed a caller contract, arsenic well.

So location seemed small logic successful spending heavy connected a caller goalscorer. But Arne Slot had different plans.

Among nan recruitment priorities for Liverpool was nan summation of a caller number nine.

Slot had persisted pinch Darwin Nunez for parts of nan play - but it is clear nan Liverpool head wanted an upgrade.

Nunez could yet time off Anfield this summer, pinch liking from Napoli and Saudi Arabia.

Liverpool's dream target was Newcastle striker Isak, who was besides absorbing Arsenal.

But fixed his value to Eddie Howe and a apt value tag that would spell towards £130m, Liverpool knew they needed to root alternatives.

Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres, RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and Brentford's Yoane Wissa were among nan different strikers considered.

We now cognize their liking successful Ekitike is arsenic superior arsenic their admiration for Isak.

Talk of Liverpool's liking successful Isak has been rife successful manufacture circles passim nan summer. The emergence this week of Liverpool's attack to Newcastle confirmed what galore believed was coming.

However, successful retrospect, news of that attack arrived astatine a peculiar time.

Newcastle were trying to beforehand pinch their liking successful Ekitike earlier this week, seeing a £70m connection rejected by Eintracht.

Less than 48 hours later, Liverpool person pivoted to Ekitike successful a move that astir apt ends their contiguous liking successful Isak while Newcastle are looking astatine alternatives that see Wissa.

Liverpool's liking successful Isak was - aliases alternatively is - entirely genuine. Newcastle, astatine slightest publicly, person maintained their Sweden world simply isn't for sale.

But for Liverpool to person stepped up their efforts to onshore Isak successful caller days suggests they person had immoderate backstage encouragement to nan contrary.

Even if their determination to attraction connected Ekitike comes to fruition, you tin expect Liverpool's liking successful Isak to remain.

The erstwhile Real Sociedad forward, arsenic things stand, will participate nan last 2 years of his statement adjacent summertime - a juncture wherever Newcastle look importantly much jeopardy.

Of course, Liverpool, pinch aliases without Ekitike, whitethorn participate adjacent summer's transportation model believing they don't require different centre forward.

But if they do, past Isak is improbable to beryllium excessively acold distant from their thoughts.

Newcastle, should Ekitike subordinate Liverpool, and pinch Gyokeres group to motion for Arsenal, will beryllium assured of keeping nan wolves from their doorway for astatine slightest this existent window.

From a capacity perspective, nan merits of keeping Isak are clear - nan 25-year-old is building a estimation arsenic 1 of Europe's elite centre forwards.

But Newcastle are besides afloat alert of nan optics attached to trading Isak, peculiarly erstwhile they person maintained he isn't for sale.

With nan nine backmost successful nan Champions League adjacent season, nan conception of trading immoderate of their apical players - Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes included - would nurture a negativity complete nan task nan club's Saudi ownership are trying to evolve.

If Liverpool do motion Ekitike astatine Newcastle's expense, past you'd ideate nan Magpies will bespeak connected their determination to locomotion distant from a £20m deal to motion nan 23-year-old striker 3 years ago, only to past pivot and motion Isak from Real Sociedad.

Ekitike's emergence arsenic 1 of nan continent's champion young strikers has seen his worth sky-rocket. His asking value is portion of nan logic why Newcastle person grounded to motion nan French striker successful caller days.

Ekitike's emergence to prominence has besides resulted successful Europe's apical clubs entering nan equation.

When Liverpool travel knocking it's difficult to ignore. His 26 goals successful 47 appearances for Frankfurt has been capable for nan Merseysiders to return nan plunge successful a woody that will costs in-excess of £70m.

Liverpool sporting head Richard Hughes is aiming to person nan woody for Ekitike closed by nan extremity of nan weekend, while Newcastle's hold for a caller striker moves on.

They are willing successful Wissa, but it will beryllium intriguing to spot really Manchester United's latest bid for Brentford team-mate Bryan Mbeumo impacts nan Democratic Republic of Congo international's imaginable move to St James' Park.

Brentford are adamant they don't want to suffer Wissa and Mbeumo this summer, peculiarly fixed nan upheaval that has already impacted nan westbound London club.

There are questions that still request answering for Newcastle - though those adjacent to nan nine will show you keeping Isak is nan solution to astir of their problems.

Newcastle person ever made it clear that their prima striker is not for sale.

In truth pinch Champions League shot up this play they do not want to portion pinch immoderate of their prima names.

Like Liverpool, Newcastle - who are owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) - are successful a comfortable PSR position.

Isak has 3 years near connected his contract, truthful nan Swede would astir apt person had to actively push for a move.

"Newcastle are nether nary unit to waste from a PSR perspective," shot finance master Kieran Maguire told BBC Sport.

"The bully news for Newcastle is that nan losses of £73 cardinal successful 2021-22 will driblet retired of nan PSR appraisal for nan 3 years ended 30 June 2025.

"Newcastle had a pre taxation nonaccomplishment of £157 cardinal successful nan play to 30 June 2024.

"Losses for 24-25 are apt to beryllium overmuch lower, arsenic accrued commercialized revenues, matchday income rising from cup runs, and higher broadcast revenues from a fifth-place decorativeness successful nan Premier League will each assistance nan club, on pinch bonuses for qualifying for nan Champions League adjacent season.

"It truthful comes down to whether aliases not players want to time off to spell elsewhere. Newcastle had nan eighth-highest costs measure successful nan Premier League successful 2023-24. They surely person nan scope to spell higher."