Overview

• Alexander Isak informed Newcastle United of his desire to explore a move and has been withdrawn from the pre-season tour citing a minor thigh issue while training separately.
• Liverpool remain on standby to meet Newcastle’s valuation with reports of a private £120 million enquiry that could set a new British transfer record.
• Arsenal are set to finalise Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres’s medical imminently and have already completed the £13 million signing of defender Cristhian Mosquera.
• Newcastle’s Saudi owners will determine whether to sanction Isak’s sale following his transfer request, marking rare direct intervention by PIF and chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
• The Magpies have identified RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko as a direct replacement and have also rebuffed Chelsea’s £104 million bid for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.