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Liverpool sign Newcastle striker Isak in British record deal

rugby01 September 2025 20:58| © AFP
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Liverpool signed striker Alexander Isak for a British record fee of £125 million from Newcastle as the Premier League transfer window closed with a flurry of blockbuster moves on Monday.

Isak agreed a reported six-year contract with the English champions after they finally convinced Newcastle to accept an improved bid.

"Me getting the chance to be a part of this, I want to create history. I want to win trophies," said Isak, who will wear Liverpool's number nine shirt.

"That's ultimately the biggest motivation for me and I feel like this is the perfect place for me to grow even further and to take my game to the next level and help the team as well."

Isak's fee surpasses the previous British record of £107 million paid by Chelsea for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.

Liverpool had a £110 million offer rejected by Newcastle in August, but Isak's determination to force through the move paid off after the transfer saga grew increasingly tetchy.

The forward told Newcastle he wanted to leave and spent part of pre-season training alone at his former club Real Sociedad rather than linking up with Eddie Howe's team.

Isak is Liverpool's eighth first-team arrival of the summer window, and his purchase marks the second time they have broken their own transfer record following the capture of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of £100 million.

But Liverpool, who beat Arsenal 1-0 on Sunday to maintain their perfect Premier League record this season, missed out on England defender Marc Guehi after Crystal Palace vetoed his sale at the last minute.

The Reds' remarkable summer spending has exceeded the £400 million mark, although there have also been significant departures including exits for Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Newcastle last week signed Germany striker Nick Woltemade for a club-record fee reported to be worth up to £69 million.

That paved the way for the departure of Isak, who scored 27 goals for Eddie Howe's team in all competitions last season and helped them end a 56-year trophy drought with victory over Liverpool in the League Cup final.

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DONNARUMMA TO MAN CITY

Newcastle immediately spent some of the Isak fee on DR Congo forward Yoane Wissa, who arrived from Brentford for an initial £50 million.

Wissa scored 19 Premier League goals last season and the 28-year-old will give Saudi-owned Newcastle extra firepower as they prepare for their Champions League campaign.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was reportedly set for a move to Manchester City after being told he was surplus to requirements at Paris Saint-Germain.

Donnarumma was instrumental in PSG winning the Champions League last season, but Pep Guardiola's side are understood to have agreed a fee of around €35 million  for the star.

Ederson, City's long-serving Brazilian keeper, is set to join Turkish side Fenerbahce, with Donnarumma expected to be Guardiola's first choice stopper and James Trafford, signed from Burnley in the close-season, relegated to the role of understudy.

Manchester United signed Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for an initial £18 million as they addressed their goalkeeping problems.

United moved for Lammens after costly mistakes from Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir at the start of the season.

The Old Trafford club also sold Brazil winger Antony to Real Betis, while England forward Jadon Sancho made a loan move to Aston Villa and Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund joined Napoli for the rest of the season.

Villa signed former United defender Victor Lindelof on a free transfer and also tied up a loan deal for Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott.

Chelsea sent Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson on loan to Bayern Munich just 48 hours after cancelling the move following an injury to their striker Liam Delap.

The new deal includes an obligation to buy the striker for 65 million euros if certain conditions are met.

Bayern reportedly agreed to include a purchase obligation in the deal, having previously ruled out doing so.

Chelsea landed Brighton winger Facundo Buonanotte on a season-long loan and Tottenham agreed a loan deal for PSG's France striker Randal Kolo Muani.

Arsenal took Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie on loan from Bayer Leverkusen for the rest of the campaign and allowed centre-back Jakub Kiwior to join Porto for the same period.

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