Alexander Isak made transfer U-turn after ugly contract saga and fall-out

Swedish striker Alexander Isak's current impasse with Newcastle, amidst Liverpool's keen interest, is a familiar scenario for the player. He has expressed a desire to leave St James' Park, prompting Liverpool to place a hefty £110million offer that was turned down by the Magpies.

Newcastle have stood firm on their stance that Isak is not on the market, leading to him training on his own after skipping the pre-season tour in Asia. With the season's kick-off against Aston Villa on August 16 looming, it would be quite the surprise to see him in Eddie Howe's lineup.

Liverpool's pursuit of Isak remains strong, and they may table a second bid, but they're not prepared to be taken advantage of, even after selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich and agreeing Darwin Nunez's sale to Al-Hilal. Despite his youth, Isak has already experienced several transfer disputes...

Real Madrid U-turn and Thomas Tuchel row

Isak, who burst onto the scene with AIK Solna, caught the eye of top European clubs, including Real Madrid. He initially agreed to join the Spanish titans following his 17th birthday but had a last-minute change of heart.

Choosing Borussia Dortmund instead, he cited their track record with young talent as the deciding factor. Speaking to FourFourTwo magazine, Isak said: "Everyone knows that Borussia is a good club to develop at as a young player because so many of them are in the first team. I want to play here and I am waiting for my chance, and I'll take it when it comes."

However, Isak's transfer only served to heighten tensions behind the scenes, with then-manager Thomas Tuchel clashing with the club's top brass. Tuchel openly admitted in a press conference that he was unaware of Isak prior to his signing, leading to an apology from chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke to the player.

Tuchel expressed frustration at not being consulted on the transfer, tersely remarking to the media: "Talk to [Dortmund sporting director] Michael Zorc [about it]."

Despite Tuchel's subsequent departure, Isak struggled for game time as Dortmund saw three different coaches in just one year. A successful loan stint in the Netherlands with Willem II reignited his career before he secured a move to Real Sociedad for a mere £7.5m in 2019.

For the latest breaking stories and headlines, sign up to our Daily Express transfer newsletter.

Buyback clause

Dortmund shrewdly included a buy-back option of approximately £26m in Isak's sale, eyeing him as a potential successor to Erling Haaland. Yet, with Isak settled in Spain, Sociedad agreed to pay Dortmund £5m to remove the clause in summer 2021.

Isak raised some eyebrows when he stated: "I'm fully aware that there is a clause.

"All I can say is that Dortmund is in my past and not in my future. I'm doing very well here, and I'm not thinking about going back at all. I'm only focusing on Real Sociedad at the moment."

Arsenal interest

As Isak's reputation soared, Premier League clubs began circling, with Arsenal particularly keen on his signature. The Gunners made an approach in early 2022, though negotiations ultimately collapsed.

Sociedad's sporting director Roberto Olabe responded to the mounting interest by declaring the club remained "well protected" thanks to Isak's release clause, believed to be in the region of £75m. Arsenal have been hunting for an elite striker ever since, finally landing Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP this summer.

Isak pushes through transfer

Newcastle didn't need to trigger the full £75m release clause in his contract to secure Isak's services, though lengthy discussions ensued before they eventually agreed a club-record £63m deal.

Just before the transfer materialised, Sociedad remained confident of keeping their star man, with club president Jokin Aperribay telling Spanish media: "We did not expect Isak to leave."

Nevertheless, once Isak's representatives made clear their client's determination to join Newcastle, the Spanish side's position became untenable in the ugly contract row. Whether Liverpool might find themselves in a comparable situation over the coming weeks is yet to be determined.