Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Swedish striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United on a long-term contract for a British record fee of around 130 million pounds (US$175 million), Sky Sports News and The Athletic reported on Sunday (Aug 31).
Protracted negotiations over the deal have dominated the Premier League transfer window, which closes on Monday, with a Liverpool bid of 110 million pounds for the 25-year-old rejected earlier in August.
Neither Liverpool nor Newcastle immediately responded to a request for comment outside normal business hours early on Monday morning.
Isak scored 23 league goals last season to guide Newcastle back to the Champions League with a fifth-placed finish, while he also scored in the League Cup final against Liverpool to give them their first domestic trophy in 70 years.
He did not join Newcastle on their pre-season tour and was forced to train separately in a tense standoff with the club, which manager Eddie Howe grimly described as a “lose-lose” situation.
Isak, however, accused Newcastle of breaking promises and misleading supporters in a statement that confirmed he wanted to leave the north-east club, saying that change was in the “best interests of everyone”.
On Saturday, Newcastle signed German international striker Nick Woltemade for a club record fee reported to be worth up to 69 million pounds, in what was seen as paving the way for Isak’s departure.
