Newcastle kicked off their Premier League season on Saturday with a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa. The Magpies’ lack of a centre forward was sorely exposed - with Liverpool target Alexander Isak in

Whether Richard Keys’ claim of a £140 million second bid proves accurate or not, one truth is unavoidable: this transfer saga will define the closing weeks of the window. Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak has placed pressure on Newcastle’s hierarchy and set the stage for one of the summer’s defining moves.