Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer discussed the Alexander Isak transfer saga ahead of Newcastle and Liverpool’s Premier League clash on Monday, which will see Hugo Ekitike face the side he snubbed
Alan Shearer was left rolling his eyes after Gary Lineker joked that Newcastle should swap Alexander Isak for Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike. There is now just over a week left of the summer transfer window and it is still unclear how the toxic Isak transfer saga will end.
The 25-year-old striker is in the midst of a stand-off with Newcastle, who he joined three years ago, as he hopes to secure a move to Liverpool. Isak has made it clear to the Magpies that he wants to leave and was the subject of a £110million bid from the Reds earlier this month, which was quickly rejected.
Newcastle are adamant he will not leave unless a bid in the region of £150m comes in. But it is unlikely Liverpool will return with such an offer, given that they have already spent around £300m on players this summer, including £79m on former Magpies target Ekitike.
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Isak was absent from Newcastle’s pre-season and has since been training alone. The Swede released a bombshell statement earlier this week in which he claimed Newcastle had broken “promises ” and implied he would not feature for Eddie Howe’s side again.
The forward will therefore not be involved in Liverpool’s visit to Newcastle on Monday, though the north east club insisted in a statement of their own that they’ll welcome Isak back “when he’s ready to rejoin his team-mates”.
With his current club and the side he hoped to join facing off in the Premier League, Gary Lineker pointed out on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast: “Guess who’s playing at the weekend. It’s mad. The fixture list sometimes does this beautifully. Newcastle vs Liverpool, of course it is.”
Shearer said he would be attending the St. James’ Park clash before adding: “It’s a bit tasty anyway, Newcastle vs Liverpool. So this is a bit of added spice. It will be an incredible atmosphere.”
Lineker then jokingly teased the Magpies legend by asking: “Why don’t you do a swap deal? For Ekitike. Just to stir things up a little bit.”
Shearer rolled his eyes while laughing in bemusement and said: “Oh, God.” Lineker added: “Oh, sorry. But you’ve got to try to see the funny side of these things. It’s brutal for fans and you’re a fan Alan.”
While Isak missed Newcastle’s Premier League opener against Aston Villa last weekend – a 0-0 draw – Ekitike scored his second competitive goal for the Reds in his second game, showing the calibre of player Newcastle missed out on.
Many Magpies supporters had deemed the Frenchman a potential replacement for Isak. The fact that they missed out on Ekitike’s signature, along with players such as Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro, is also a big factor in them not wanting to part ways with Isak this late in the window.
Newcastle made a move for Ekitike in July but had their £70m bid rejected by Eintracht Frankfurt. The player is reportedly set on joining Liverpool. The striker is expected to receive a hostile reception on Monday night, and, despite Isak’s absence, the two sides’ meeting after a summer of drama is set to be a tantalising one.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
