Isak joins Liverpool in £125m British record deal

Alexander Isak, a striker from Newcastle United, has agreed a record-breaking fee of £125 million from Liverpool, with the Swede declaring that he “wanted to create history and win trophies” at Anfield.

According to sources in Newcastle, the deal could have add-ons worth up to £130 million.

Before signing a six-year contract with Liverpool, Sweden international Isak, 25, underwent a medical on Monday, which included an additional fee of about £416.2 million.

Isak, who will team up with the Reds in the number nine shirt, stated to the Liverpool website: “This is my career’s next move.” I’m very excited and inspired to take advantage of this opportunity.

“I want to make history,” I say. I’d like to win prizes. That serves as my primary driving force in the end.

“This is the ideal place for me to develop even more, advance my game, and support the team as well.”

Isak’s original £110 million offer was rejected in August, but Liverpool now have their first-choice target of the summer.

The lengthy saga came to an end when the Reds announced the deal at 21:30 BST, two and a half hours after the window was closed.

Following the signings of Brentford forward Yoane Wissa and Germany international striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart last week for a 50 million dollar, Newcastle signed both.

In the Carabao Cup final in March, Isak scored for Newcastle, winning their first domestic trophy in 70 years, 2-1 over Liverpool.

He claimed he had left the club earlier this summer and had not represented them in this campaign.

Newcastle made a wry 37-word statement on the club website when it announced the deal.

Alexander Isak will be sold to Liverpool for a sizable British record transfer fee, according to the statement.

In 2024-2025, Liverpool, who are top of the table this year, won three of their first three matches, to claim the Premier League title.

This summer, they already broke the club transfer record by signing German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz for an initial sum of £100 million, plus an additional £16 million in additions.

The highest transfer window spending in Premier League history has resulted in Liverpool having already completed the signings of Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, and Giovanni Leoni.

Only the second time an English team has spent more than $400 million in a summer, following Chelsea’s $401.2 million investment in 2023.

Isak signed for Newcastle for £60 million from Real Sociedad in 2022, where he scored 27 goals in 42 games last season.

He assisted the Magpies’ victory in the March Carabao Cup, which earned them their fifth-place finish in the Premier League and their promotion to the Champions League.

Isak was excluded from the Magpies’ squad earlier this summer because of what the club described as a “minor thigh injury” during their pre-season tour of Asia, but it was still believed he wanted to look into a move elsewhere.

Before Liverpool’s initial attempt for him was rejected by Newcastle, he then spent time training alone at Sociedad.

Isak claimed in a statement that his relationship with Newcastle had been “broken” and that their relationship cannot continue in light of ongoing speculation about his future.

No official at the club had ever promised Alex could leave this summer, according to Newcastle.

One of football’s biggest deals was Liverpool’s acquisition of Isak.

The previous British transfer record was Enzo Fernandez, who Chelsea paid for for a fee of $ 107 million in 2023.

The Wirtz deal could reach £116 million, while Caicedo’s move from Brighton to Chelsea in 2023 may end up costing £115 million. Moises Caicedo, Declan Rice, and Jack Grealish all moved for initial fees of £100 million.

Isak joins the Reds in third place overall in terms of initial costs.

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe’s signings at Paris St-Germain rank among the most expensive football moves. Neymar was brought in from Barcelona in 2017 for £200m by the French club. In a deal worth £165.7 million, Mbappe became a permanent player in the same year, initially on loan.

Isak’s move follows those that involve Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele, but it is still ahead of those.