Alexander Isak's 'juicy' Man Utd offer and Pep Guardiola intervention to seal £51m deal

Daily Mirror

4 days ago

Alexandar Isak's relationship with Newcastle has soured as he pushes for a move away, but his fate could have been different had he opted to snub the Magpies for other Premier League sides
Alexander Isak and Newcastle United have reached a bitter stalemate as the star striker pushes for an exit. But the Swede's career could have panned out differently if he had left former employers Real Sociedad for another Premier League heavyweight three years ago.
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The 25-year-old made his feelings known last month when he told the Magpies he wanted to leave, and after Liverpool saw a £110million bid rejected for him, neither party has budged. Eddie Howe's side remain adamant he is not for sale and will don a Newcastle shirt this season, while the player is said to be refusing to play for the club again.
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Since arriving in 2022, Isak has taken the top-flight by storm, improving on his debut league goal tally of 10 with 21 two seasons ago and 23 last time out. It is no surprise that a club like the reigning champion Reds have turned his head, but he has held admirers in England since his days in Spain. Mirror Football takes a look at all those interested in Isak before his St. James' Park switch and why a deal never happened...
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Manchester City's Erling Haaland preference
Having caught Borussia Dortmund's eye whilst playing in his native Sweden, Isak signed for the German side but left for Spain in 2019 after finding minutes hard to come by. With Sociedad, he became one of La Liga's most revered strikers, leaving many top sides vying for his signature. One of those interested parties was Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
Speaking in 2024, years after Isak made his Newcastle switch, Guardiola admitted: "At Real Sociedad, we started to follow him, we were impressed. He was a target. With his skills, all the clubs around the world take a look. I think he adapted really, really well in the Premier League."
City's reason for not pursuing Isak more vigorously? Erling Haaland. The Athletic reported in the summer of 2022 that the Norwegian was Guardiola's priority No. 1, ahead of Isak, and Haaland's arrival even persuaded him to pen a new contract with the club.
The Spaniard got his way as Haaland's £51m Dortmund release clause was met that July, and he has become a two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, scoring 85 league goals since 2022, to the 54 of Isak, who arrived in England a few months after him.
Manchester United's 'juicy' Alexander Isak offer
City were reportedly not the only club in Manchester to admire Isak, as rivals Manchester United were claimed to have submitted a 'juicy offer' to the Swede that summer.
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Mundo Deportivo reported that before Isak completed his £63m move to Newcastle, the Red Devils, then led by Erik ten Hag, were in touch with his representatives, who persuaded the striker to decline their advances.
Sociedad never received a bid from United for Isak, and having lost out on his signature, Ten Hag began his first season in charge with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line, though that infamously only lasted until November.
Arsenal's £75m 'overpriced' release clause regret
Arsenal were yet another club that had Isak on their radar before he signed for the Magpies, and they perhaps came the closest to securing his signature with an informal offer.
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The Gunners sought to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up front and saw Isak as the ideal recruit. However, when approaching him in January 2022, they encountered some discrepancies regarding the Swede's price tag.
Mikel Arteta's side tabled an informal £56m offer, which was far lower than Sociedad's estimations, as they were sticking to Isak's £74.7m release clause. The Athletic reported that this fee was just too much for Arsenal, who saw him as 'overpriced,' and Isak ended up at St. James' Park the following summer while continuing to be monitored by the Gunners.
A fee of £75m would now be considered a bargain for Isak, who, after Liverpool's £120m bid was rejected, is thought to be valued at a potential British record transfer sum of £150m by Newcastle.
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