The English champions are still on the hunt for a new striker and strongly considered a run for a Premier League player other than Alexander Isak.
Liverpool have already strengthened significantly in this transfer window, but they don’t seem to be quite done yet.
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The reigning Premier League champions have brought in Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong from the Bundesliga (Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively), as well as Hugo Ekitike, while Milos Kerkez has also joined the Reds from Bournemouth.
Ekitike was a target for Newcastle who wanted to strengthen their attacking line this summer, but Liverpool came out on top in the battle for the Frenchman.
Newcastle have struggled to strengthen their squad over the summer, and have seen the likes of Ekitike, Benjamin Šeško and James Trafford choose other clubs.
But they now seem to be close to signing Yoane Wissa from Brentford in their search for new reinforcements.
“Wissa has verbally accepted the terms and conditions – there will be no problem. He’s desperate to get here,” Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie said on his official YouTube channel.
Liverpool showed late interest in Wissa
Wissa, who scored 19 league goals for Brentford last season, has also been wanted by Tottenham, now led by former Brentford coach Thomas Frank.
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Newcastle still ran a small risk of losing the 28-year-old to another Premier League club.
“I was actually told by a source today that Liverpool have shown some late interest,” Downie added.
“Imagine Wissa ending up in Liverpool after all this. That will not be the case – he will not get there. I’m told it’s only Newcastle for Yoane Wissa.”
It remains to be seen if Liverpool really had a concrete interest in Wissa, or if they were trying to pressure Newcastle in their pursuit of Alexander Isak.
The Swedish international has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield, but Liverpool’s only formal bid has been rejected.
Isak has yet to make a transfer request to force a Liverpool move, but the former Real Sociedad star is keen to secure a move to Merseyside.
Isak “furious” that he is not allowed to leave
The 25-year-old’s future remains uncertain, with Newcastle determined to keep one of their most valuable players – the one who scored 23 times in the Premier League last year.
According to reports, the player himself has been told that he will not be allowed to leave Newcastle this summer and will not be allowed to go to Liverpool, which has reportedly infuriated him.
While rumours of a departure from St. James’ Park are buzzing, Isak was left out of Newcastle’s pre-season tour of Asia and has had to train alone in the offseason.
Manager Eddie Howe has also confirmed that Isak will not be available against Aston Villa when they meet in the Premier League opener next weekend.
