It was reported early Tuesday by Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein that Liverpool Football Club might finally be making their move for Newcastle and Swedish striker, Alexander Isak.
In a summer transfer window of seemingly total clarity where every new arrival has been brought in with minimal fuss, the Isak saga has proven to be a more difficult proposition for the Reds.
However, if these reports are accurate, it appears that things could be about to pick up on this front with decisions needing to be made sooner than later.
Liverpool Make The 1st Move
The reporting has indicated that while no official bid was lodged by the Premier League champions for Isak, they made it clear to Newcastle United their interest is real and they are ready to talk.
The Reds informed Newcastle that they would be willing to submit a second record-breaking bid of this summer in the range of £120 million for the Sweden international.
That in of itself would have been huge news, but they apparently did not stop there per reports.
With the Magpies currently seeing their most recent €70 million bid for Hugo Ekitike rejected by Frankfurt, it was reported that should they not budge on Isak, Liverpool would pivot and swipe the 23-year old Frenchman from their grasp instead.
This kind of bold strategy puts the ball completely in Newcastle's court as they must now weigh the benefits of cashing in on their talisman or risk adding a crucial piece for their future.
To reiterate, no official bid was submitted by Liverpool, but their clear intent to touch nearly £120m is a massive step towards getting a resolution going.
A Win-Win for Liverpool?
This kind of ruthless transfer mindset is not something Reds fans will be accustomed too.
Sure, in the past they have shown the willingness to splash the cash when they feel a player is truly going to take them to the next level. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson are two names that come to mind.
They were willing to shatter the the then-British transfer record for Moises Caicedo before that all went down. However, a lot of those were months-long, if not longer, transfer sagas. A lot of guesswork and unknowns always kept things on edge.
Now, they are operating with the calm clarity of a club that understands their position in the hierarchy of football and are acting in accordance with that lofty standing.
Giving Newcastle a pseudo ultimatum is a major shift in policy. If the Magpies buckle and decide to cash in on Isak, then Liverpool get their top summer target and one of the best forwards in the world in his prime.
Should Newcastle hold firm and not move the Swede, and Richard Hughes shifts his focus back to Ekitike, that would be a fine option as well.
Liverpool would still be getting one of the brightest young forwards in Europe who is a few years younger than Isak and could only keep getting better. Oh, he would also be cheaper in all likelihood.
However you slice it, the Reds are getting a new forward this summer. Who that is remains to be seen, but they have positioned themselves to be in a very advantageous position.