Liverpool set to sign Alexander Isak in British record £125m deal

Swedish striker poised to complete move to Anfield on deadline day as Newcastle finally agree to sell star player

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, left, and striker Alexander Isak, who is set to join Liverpool. PA

Liverpool are set to complete a British transfer record £125 million deal for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak.

The Swedish forward will join the Anfield club on Monday ahead of the Premier League's transfer deadline, according to widespread reports.

Isak will undergo medical tests before signing a six-year contract with the English champions.

The fee will set a new British record, eclipsing the £106m that Chelsea paid Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.

Isak, 25, scored 23 goals in the Premier League last season – behind only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah – as Newcastle qualified for the Uefa Champions League.

He has been the subject of a protracted and acrimonious transfer saga this summer, training away from the rest of the Newcastle squad after making clear his desire to move to Liverpool.

Newcastle reportedly rejected an initial £110m bid for Isak earlier this summer.

But the deal edged closer after the Magpies signed German international striker Nick Woltemade on Saturday for a club-record fee reported to be worth up to £69m.

Isak will become the latest blockbuster acquisition in a lavish summer spending spree by Liverpool, who also brought in German midfielder Florian Wirtz in another massive deal.

The Reds have also signed French striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.

Despite the influx of new talent, Liverpool have not so far looked like the relentless team that strolled to the Premier League title last season with four games to spare.

But they still top the table with three wins from three after dispatching last season's runners-up, Arsenal, 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday.

Newcastle sit 17th in the early running after a 0-0 stalemate against Leeds United.

Slot praises Szoboszlai

Arne Slot praised Liverpool’s mentality and match-winner Dominik Szoboszlai after their win over the Gunners.

Anfield witnessed a forgettable clash devoid of clear-cut chances, but a moment of magic in the 83rd minute lit up the otherwise drab game.

Szoboszlai followed an impressive display as Liverpool’s makeshift right-back with a spectacular 30-yard free-kick that crashed home in front of the Kop and sealed a 1-0 win.

“We’re not perfect,” Slot said. “We weren’t perfect last season, by the way. But, still, what you can see is a great mentality, and everybody wants to work so hard to get a result over the line.

“Then you need a little bit of luck, which we had in Newcastle [on Monday] and today.

“I think it was Michael Jordan who said ‘the harder we work, the more luck we get’ and that is something that you can say about this team.

“They work incredibly hard, and there will be moments in the season where we work just as hard and we don’t find the luck of scoring a goal. But we always give ourselves a chance because we work so hard.”

Slot was proud of his players efforts, with Szoboszlai naturally picked out for praise. “I don’t think he changed at all in the last few games compared to what he did last season,” he said.

“He’s always been the player that I think understands what a Liverpool player should look like.

“If you wear this shirt, you should give everything, no matter in what position you play.

“As a midfielder, he’s always the first one to track back, to press high, and today, I don’t think he did anything wrong.

“Unbelievable game from him in the position he probably played only two or three times in his life, so it tells you a lot about the mentality he has.”

Arteta defends tactics

As for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta hit back at the suggestion he set up his side to avoid defeat rather than seal a first league win at Anfield since 2012.

“We didn’t do our game plan to frustrate them, we did it to win it,” the manager said. “I think we elevated the game and the dominance to a point that they have to raise it.

“They did, especially from the 60-78 [minutes], when then you could see that there were no margins in the game and then when that happens the game is going to be decided in two ways.

“One, with an individual error and two, with a magic moment.

“So, they created a moment that was incredible, that has won the game and that was the difference. Nothing else.”

Arteta was forced into an early change at Liverpool, with key defender William Saliba replaced by Cristhian Mosquera after just five minutes.

“He twisted his ankle during the warm-up,” the Gunners boss said.

“He came in and he said he believed that he could carry on and play but straightaway in the first two actions I could see that he couldn’t cope and we had to get him out, unfortunately, but thank God we have Mosquera.”