Alexander Isak’s messy Newcastle divorce will soon be a thing of the past. The Swedish striker is set for a British-record transfer to Liverpool.
It’s the move the 25-year-old has been pining for all Summer. While this saga has dragged on longer than expected, the Magpies finally found their replacement in the shape of Nick Woltemade this weekend. That paved the way for Arne Slot to seal the deal for their top transfer target.
The rise of Isak
The Solna-born forward initially showcased his natural talent when he broke into the first team at his local club AIK at the early age of just 16. A derby brace against Djurgårdens on the day of his 17th birthday underlined his raw potential, and he was quickly dubbed Sweden’s new Zlatan Ibrahimović.
Isak is therefore a player who is no stranger to dealing with high expectations, something that should stand him in good stead as he moves to the Premier League champions. However, to reach this point, he’s needed to overcome a few bumps.
— Alexander Isak 🇸🇪 (@LFCIsak_) September 1, 2025
A move to Borussia Dortmund at 17 didn’t work out as planned, but he showed frequent flashes of his natural finishing ability on loan at Willem II in the Eredivisie. That was enough to convince La Liga outfit Real Sociedad to move for the Swede in the Summer of 2019.
In Spain, Isak was initially a streaky player. He enjoyed some prolific spells in front of goal, as well as plenty of drier periods when his confidence levels dipped. Highlights included a brilliant brace in a 4-3 Copa del Rey victory for La Real at the Santiago Bernabéu. His natural burst of pace saw him frequently find space behind Madrid centre-backs Éder Militão and Sergio Ramos.
Prolific on Tyneside
The pressure followed when he made a club-record €70m switch to Newcastle in 2022. Having scored only six times in his final season in La Liga, it was quite a leap of faith from the Premier League club, but it didn’t take long for their new signing to show his worth.
Still a touch raw at that point, under Eddie Howe’s guidance, the youngster quickly developed into a much more complete forward. He grew his ability to press from the front and do vital work for the team out of possession.
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 2, 2025
With the ball, the Swedish international became more composed, making better decisions as his dribbling and passing game improved.
In front of goal, Isak also became more consistent. His 54 league strikes for the Magpies came at a rate of one every 122 minutes.
A record-breaking deal
With the fee expected to eventually rise to £130m, the 25-year-old’s move to Liverpool will be a British record transfer. It’ll take the Anfield club’s Summer spending spree past a whopping £400m and underline their status as the team to beat in the Premier League this term.
The deal will also rank as potentially the third-highest of all time, behind only the transfers of Kylian Mbappé and Neymar to PSG. That will ensure the spotlight is on from day one.
Goodnight Reds🫡 pic.twitter.com/63ESYkhg0M
— Alexander Isak 🇸🇪 (@LFCIsak_) September 1, 2025
However, Isak has been dealing with the pressure that comes with such expectation levels since he was in his mid-teens. His naturally cool demeanour suggests the price tag will not weigh heavily on his shoulders.
Where will Isak fit in at Anfield?
With the exception of Erling Haaland, the soon-to-be ex-Newcastle man has established himself as the Premier League’s most prolific number nine. Alongside the Norwegian, he’s the only player to have scored 20 or more goals in each of the last two seasons in the English top flight.
My brother ❤️🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/hTOc5Ptqkd
— Alexander Isak 🇸🇪 (@LFCIsak_) September 1, 2025
Liverpool will see this as a sound investment and the kind of statement signing that can only improve them in the long run. Isak is an obvious upgrade on the strikers that the Reds have been dependent on in recent years.
While he is capable of operating off the left flank should the need arise, there are few doubts about where the Swede will fit into this team. He has been brought in to lead the line and finish the opportunities that should frequently come his way, with the likes of Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah providing the service.
What does this mean for Ekitiké?
The big loser in this deal may well turn out to be Hugo Ekitiké. The Frenchman started his career on Merseyside in impressive fashion, following a €95m switch from Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in the Summer.
The 23-year-old started as the striker in a 4-2-3-1 system in all three of his new team’s Premier League fixtures so far, registering two goals and an assist. While the sample size is small, he has excelled with his speed and link-up play and has outperformed his xG total of 1.31.
However, given the vast sum involved with the Isak deal and his proven Premier League track record, it’s difficult to see any scenario where Ekitiké isn’t relegated to a back-up role.
The final piece in Slot’s puzzle
With Manchester City already faltering, and Arsenal defeated at Anfield on matchday three, Slot will be hoping that this is the piece of business that ensures his team are too strong for their Premier League rivals again this term.
While they were crowned English champions by a comfortable 10-point margin in 2024/25, it was 29-goal winger Salah who carried them to that triumph. No other Liverpool player surpassed the 13 strikes of Luis Díaz, who has since moved to Bayern Munich.
Worth the wait? pic.twitter.com/YpGhR94E64
— Alexander Isak 🇸🇪 (@LFCIsak_) September 1, 2025
It’s only natural that the 33-year-old Egyptian’s contribution levels may decline steadily over the coming years, so signing a prolific number nine was a top priority for the Merseyside club this Summer.
While it has taken until deadline day for the Reds to finally get their man, they’ve acted decisively and signed a player capable of firing them to many trophies over the course of his six-year deal.
