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We asked for your views after Isak was left out of the squad. Here are some of your comments:
Gary: If these tours are all about driving commercial revenue, surely you take your star striker regardless of a minor injury?
Kevin: Concerning. I hope it is just precaution. It would be really disappointing if he does leave this summer after all the hard work last season to get into the
Celtic went ahead after 28 minutes when Arne Engels sent Nick Pope the wrong way from the penalty spot after being brought down by Joe Willock inside the box.
Keeper Pope made a major error to gift the hosts a second just before half-time, rushing off his line and failing with an attempt to head a long ball clear to allow Johnny Kenny to pass it into the empty net.
The starting point of Liverpool’s move for Ekitike arrived at the end of last season.
They’d just lifted their second Premier League trophy – scoring 86 goals in the process, the most of any top-flight club that campaign.
Mohamed Salah, their main source of goals, had just signed a new contract, as well.
So there seemed little logic in spending heavily on a new goalscorer. But Arne Slot had other
Alexander Isak: (Newcastle United)
Newcastle’s message is that Isak is not for sale but you get the feeling this isn’t the last we will hear about his future.
Liverpool are interested in the 25-year-old Sweden forward but know they would have to break the British transfer record to even stand a chance of prising him from the Magpies.
BBC Sport understands a deal for Isak would cost up to £130m.
As shown in the graph above, in the three seasons prior to 2024-25 Liverpool made net transfer spends of -£17.8m, £92.5m and £49.8m.
For context, Manchester United have had a net spend of £119m, £133m and £190m over their past three campaigns.
“Liverpool have been outside the top-10 spenders on player signings since 2019, but their model is a classic case of being smarter rather than bigger,” said Maguire.
“Liverpool’s
Isak, 25, joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad in 2022 for £63m.
He is their record purchase and Newcastle supporters will tell you he has been worth every penny.
Over the past three seasons he has scored 54 league goals and that strike rate has led to him regularly been linked with a move.
During the second half of last season Ekitike, like Isak, played as a lone striker. The 23-year-old
Possibly the easiest choice of all time for a player’s inclusion in a statistical team of the season, Salah enjoyed one of the finest individual seasons in Premier League history. Many of his astonishing records from 24-25 may not be beaten for many years.
The Egyptian was involved in 47 Premier League goals (29 goals, 18 assists), a record in a 38-game campaign to overtake the 44 goal and assist
William Saliba (Arsenal), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) and Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool): Three exceptional centre-backs and leaders – it’s not necessarily about picking captains but figureheads from a defensive point of view. The team will only be as good as these three guys defend. Van Dijk obviously won the league, and signed a new Liverpool deal. In my opinion, he’s the best centre-back in world football. Konsa is growing
Despite the anti-climax of this performance, it capped a superb season for Newcastle and their inspirational manager Howe.
The start to their campaign was overshadowed by financial uncertainly as Howe became a reluctant seller to avoid the club breaking profit and sustainability rules. It has ended in glory, with the estimated £100m riches of the Champions League flooding into the coffers.
The notion of Newcastle winning silverware and qualifying for
Arsenal have alternative targets to Isak – namely RB Leipzig’s Sesko and Sporting’s Gyokeres.
Sesko is a long-term target and was close to joining the club last summer.
Arsenal enquired again in January, but the German club were adamant they had no intention of selling and the Gunners did not want to antagonise them before a potential negotiation this summer.
Slovenia international Sesko has scored 26 goals this season –