Alexander Isak would break Liverpool’s 10-year ‘golden transfer rule’ as huge hint dropped

Alexander Isak would break Liverpool’s 10-year ‘golden transfer rule’ as huge hint dropped

Liverpool's pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak marks a major change from the club's approach to transfers over the last decade as they look to bring in the striker

Liverpool's interest in Alexander Isak represents a change in transfer strategy (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

Liverpool's desire to sign Alexander Isak represents the club breaking a decade-long trend of avoiding moves for proven Premier League strikers. The Reds have been cautious about buying established forwards from the English top-flight since signing Christian Benteke from Aston Villa in 2015.

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Newcastle United rejected Liverpool's huge £110million bid for Isak, who netted 23 league goals last season. The forward is training separately from Newcastle's first team and has reportedly refused to play for the club again, despite Newcastle's insistence that he is not on the market.

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It has already been a busy summer for Liverpool, with their lavish spending spree on players like Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike contrasting sharply with last year. However, the Reds are still working on more signings and a deal for Isak would mark a huge shift in the club's transfer policy.

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Back in 2015, Liverpool forked out £32.5m on Benteke from Villa, where he had scored an impressive 49 goals in 101 games. Despite high hopes for the Belgian at Anfield, he was sold to Crystal Palace just a year later after scoring 10 in 42 appearances. Since then, the club have avoided risking the same mistake.

Benteke joined in the same summer as Roberto Firmino, who became a crucial component in Liverpool's attack and won the Premier League and Champions League during his time at the Reds. Brendan Rodgers also brought in Danny Ings from relegated Burnley shortly before signing Benteke.

The following season, Liverpool signed Sadio Mane from Southampton, though the Senegalese star wasn't a traditional striker, frequently operating on the wing under Jurgen Klopp. The same case could be argued for versatile attacker Diogo Jota's arrival from Wolves in 2020.

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When it came time to buy a new centre-forward, the Reds chose to recruit Darwin Nunez from Benfica three years ago, instead of a Premier League target. Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke's move to Liverpool from Chelsea through a tribunal in 2017 doesn't match Benteke's marquee signing or Isak's possible record-breaking transfer.

Christian Benteke was sold to Crystal Palace in a deal worth up to £32m in 2016 (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Isak will not feature in Newcastle's season opener against Aston Villa on Saturday.

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Newcastle boss Howe has dropped a huge hint over Isak's future and spoken honestly about the transfer saga's impact on his squad and admitted that his side have already been forced to adapt to life without Isak.

"I don't think it's been healthy for us," Howe said. "I don't deny that's been a big challenge. Alex, for me, is one of the best strikers in the world – if not the best. To miss him from your squad leaves a huge gap.

"I think morale was certainly affected early on during pre-season," he continued. "There was nothing I could do to affect that – it was always going to be there.

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Alexander has scored 62 goals during his time at Newcastle United (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

"When you have a player that good who is not part of your group, it's difficult for the players to fully understand it and to know what's going on and how to react.

"But, as time has gone on, there has been an acceptance this is the squad and we have got to make the best of the situation. That's always been my train of thought.

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"Whatever situation you're in, you have got to find a way and you can only control what you can control. We have moved forward and I've got to say the atmosphere of the group has been very good in the last couple of weeks."

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