Liverpool Agree British Record £125m Deal for Alexander Isak

Liverpool have reached an agreement to sign striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United in a British record transfer worth £125 million

Sources close to the negotiations have confirmed to BBC Sport that an agreement is now in place for the Sweden international to join the Reds. Newcastle insiders suggest the package could rise to as much as £130m with add-ons included.

Isak, 25, is expected to undergo a medical on Monday before putting pen to paper on a six-year contract at Anfield. Liverpool had previously seen an initial £110m bid rejected in August but have now secured their first-choice target before the close of the summer transfer window.

The deal follows Newcastle’s recent acquisition of striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart and comes after weeks of uncertainty surrounding Isak’s future.

Liverpool’s Transfer Outlay

The capture of Isak will surpass Liverpool’s previous club-record signing of German midfielder Florian Wirtz earlier this summer. Wirtz joined in a deal worth £100m, potentially rising by a further £16m in add-ons.

Adding Isak to a list of new arrivals that already includes Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Giovanni Leoni, Liverpool’s spending this summer will climb to approximately £416m before add-ons.

The Reds remain active in the market, with discussions ongoing over a potential move for Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi.

Departures, including Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tyler Morton and Ben Doak, have generated an initial £190m.

How the Isak Move Developed

Isak joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad in 2022 for £60m and enjoyed a prolific 2023–24 campaign, scoring 27 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions. He helped the Magpies lift the Carabao Cup in March, scoring in the final as Newcastle beat Liverpool, before guiding them to a fifth-place Premier League finish and Champions League qualification.

However, his future at St James’ Park grew increasingly uncertain over the summer. Left out of the club’s pre-season tour of Asia with what was described as a “minor thigh injury”, Isak trained separately at his former club Real Sociedad amid interest from Liverpool.

In August, Newcastle rejected Liverpool’s opening £110m bid, but tensions escalated when Isak publicly claimed that promises made to him had been “broken” and that his relationship with the club “couldn’t continue”. Newcastle, however, denied any such commitments had been made.

The situation left Isak sidelined for Newcastle’s first three Premier League matches of the season, including a 3-2 defeat to Liverpool at St James’ Park. With the impasse unresolved, Liverpool have now struck a record-breaking agreement for his signature.

Where the Deal Ranks in Football History

If completed, the Isak deal will surpass the £107m Chelsea paid Benfica for Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández in 2023, setting a new British transfer record.

Globally, Isak’s transfer would rank third based on initial fees, behind only Paris Saint-Germain’s captures of Neymar (£200m from Barcelona in 2017) and Kylian Mbappé (£165.7m, also in 2017). It would sit ahead of deals such as Philippe Coutinho’s £142m move from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018 and Ousmane Dembélé’s £96.8m transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, which could rise to £135.5m with add-ons.

Timeline of the Isak Transfer Saga

• 25 May: Isak finishes the 2024–25 season as Newcastle’s top scorer with 27 goals in 42 matches.

• 19 July: Eddie Howe insists Isak will join the pre-season tour despite injury.

• 23 July: Liverpool sign striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in a £69m deal.

• 24 July: Isak left out of Newcastle’s pre-season tour squad, reportedly due to a “minor thigh injury”.

• 31 July: Isak trains alone at former club Real Sociedad.

• 1 August: Newcastle reject Liverpool’s opening £110m offer.

• 4 August: Isak returns to training but is excluded from first-team sessions.

• 8 August: Howe confirms he “cannot involve” Isak in first-team matters.

• 19 August: Isak claims promises have been “broken”, while Newcastle deny any such assurances.

• 30 August: Newcastle announce the signing of striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart.

• 1 September: Liverpool agree a £125m deal with Newcastle for Isak.