Liverpool have completed the blockbuster signing of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak in a British-record £125 million ($169 million) deal, bringing an end to one of the most high-profile transfer sagas of the summer.
After weeks of negotiations, the Premier League champions finally convinced Newcastle to part with the Swedish forward, who has signed a six-year contract at Anfield.
“I feel amazing,” Isak told Liverpool’s official website. “It’s been a long journey to get here, but I’m super happy to be part of this team, this club, and everything it stands for.
It’s something I’m really proud of, and now I just want to get to work, meet my teammates and the fans, and get back out on the pitch.”
Liverpool’s initial £110 million bid was rejected in August, but Isak’s desire to make the switch proved decisive. The 25-year-old reportedly informed Newcastle of his intention to leave and trained alone at former club Real Sociedad rather than join Eddie Howe’s squad for pre-season.
He was also left out of Newcastle’s Asia tour, officially due to a thigh injury, but tensions grew after Isak accused the club’s hierarchy of reneging on a promise to let him leave if a suitable offer arrived.
Despite Howe’s repeated insistence that Isak was not for sale—especially after a season in which he scored 27 goals in 42 appearances, led Newcastle to Champions League qualification, and helped end their 56-year trophy drought with a League Cup win over Liverpool—the Magpies finally relented. Their signing of Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade over the weekend opened the door for Isak’s departure.
Isak underwent a medical on Merseyside on Monday, completing the move ahead of the 1800 GMT transfer deadline.
His arrival pushes Liverpool’s post-season spending to an estimated £416 million—shattering the previous Premier League summer window record of £400 million set by Chelsea in 2023.
The Reds had already made headlines with the £100 million acquisition of Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz. Isak’s fee now sets a new benchmark for a British club, eclipsing Chelsea’s £107 million signing of Enzo Fernández in 2023.
Other major arrivals at Anfield this summer include Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, and Giovanni Leoni. Chiesa was the only senior signing during the 2024 window prior to this summer’s overhaul, joining for an initial £10 million.
To fund the spree, Liverpool have offloaded several high-profile players including Luis Diaz, Darwin Núñez, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tyler Morton, and Ben Doak—recouping around £190 million in total.
New manager Arne Slot now finds himself under mounting pressure to deliver major silverware, with Liverpool chasing a second successive Premier League title and a record-extending seventh Champions League crown.
A second straight league triumph would see Liverpool become the most successful team in English top-flight history with 21 titles, surpassing Manchester United. The Reds have not retained the title since winning three in a row between 1982 and 1984.
With Isak set to spearhead a revamped attack that includes Wirtz, Ekitike, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Chiesa, expectations are sky-high.
Slot’s side have already started the campaign in dominant fashion, sitting top of the Premier League with the only perfect record remaining after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.
