Latest news with #EintrachtFrankfurt
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'A really good next step' - Kalajdzic scores on injury return
Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic says his "ambitions will go higher" after scoring on his return from injury in the pre-season game in has been unfortunate with injuries since joining Wolves in 2022, suffering a knee injury on his debut and then ruptured cruciate and lateral ligaments in his right knee while on loan with Eintracht Frankfurt in February 2024."It was a really good feeling [to play] after a long, long time," he told club media., external "Just kicking the ball with my mates in an unofficial but, for me, more official game and I'm just happy everything went well."I gained more minutes, playing with the others to get to now them again more and more on the pitch and it was a really good next step."The most important thing is to tick it off and have that first game again. Just feel everything, get aware of everything - that was a really good first step. There is a long pre-season to go, a lot more games and my goals will go higher and ambitions will go higher with that."The 28-year-old did mark his first appearance for 18 months with a goal but Wolves fell to a 2-1 defeat by local side CD Santa Clara."Always great [to score]," he said. "It is easier for and easier for everyone if you are successful but today was very good. In training I hit it a few times but it is not the same feeling and hope I can continue with this."I felt stable, felt good, felt strong. The last minutes were kind of hard, especially with the heat, so every game and every minute is helping me recover better. "In terms of the injury, it felt good."
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Where will Ekitike and Isak transfer saga turn next?
There is only one story in town on the back pages on Newcastle's initial bid for Hugo Ekitike was turned down by Eintracht Frankfurt, we reported on Tuesday that Liverpool are eyeing up a record deal for forward Alexander Isak.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Marcus Rashford 'floated' as shock Liverpool option as 6 Alexander Isak alternatives considered
Liverpool has considered six alternatives to Alexander Isak this summer, but approached Newcastle United on Tuesday to discuss a potential deal for the 25-year-old striker. Newcastle has been told that Liverpool is prepared to pay a record fee to sign Isak this summer, meaning it would exceed the $155 million package Bayer Leverkusen received for Florian Wirtz. Newcastle has stood firm and told Liverpool that Isak is not for sale. Advertisement Talks remain ongoing, but Newcastle also saw a $93 million bid for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike rejected on Tuesday. Liverpool could now enter the race for Ekitike, and according to Mail Sport, five other options have been considered, including Marcus Rashford. READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Alexander Isak approach made, Luis Diaz bid rejected, Vini Jr move READ MORE: Liverpool sets Ibrahima Konate 'asking price' in bid to avoid Trent Alexander-Arnold repeat Isak remains Liverpool's priority, and Newcastle has been placed in a unique position due to Tuesday's approach. Liverpool has signaled that if the door remains closed for Isak, it will look to hijack Newcastle's pursuit of Ekitike. Advertisement Newcastle's rejected bid adds to the drama, and Ekitike could choose the Liverpool project if the club submits a rival offer. However, Liverpool also has five other names on a shortlist, though deals aren't expected to be pursued with the same intent. According to Mail Sport, Liverpool has asked about Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Brentford forward Yoanna Wissa. The biggest wildcard that Liverpool floated was a deal for Manchester United winger Rashford, but only an initial conversation was held. No player has ever transferred directly between Liverpool and Manchester United -Credit:Getty Images Outside of the Premier League, Liverpool has also been closely watching Real Madrid forward Rodrygo. The most intriguing alternative is Napoli's Victor Osimhen, with the Nigerian striker looking to force a move away from the club. Advertisement Turkish club Galatasaray is the front-runner to sign Osimhen, but Napoli has been targeting Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez as his replacement. It's thought Napoli cannot submit a formal offer until Osimhen has been sold, but a swap deal could be exercised. Liverpool hasn't confirmed that Nunez will be leaving the club this summer, but he is linked with a move away. Nunez, Luis Diaz, Harvey Elliott, and Tyler Morton are all players who could depart Anfield by Aug. 30. Even if Liverpool fails to add a center forward in this window, it's still been an excellent summer for the Premier League champions. Liverpool has signed two full-backs and broken the club transfer record to acquire Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz. Florian Writz and Jeremie Frimpong were both signed from Bayer Leverkusen -Credit:Getty Images Marquee outgoings include Jarell Quansah to Leverkusen, Nat Phillips to West Bromwich Albion, and Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid. Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has also been sold to Brentford, with Giorgi Mamardashvili replacing him as Alisson Becker's replacement. Advertisement More high-profile departures could follow, and Liverpool has rejected a bid for defender Ibrahima Konate. An unnamed Saudi Pro League club submitted an offer for Konate, but the defender wants to continue his career in Europe. Konate is entering the final 12 months of his Liverpool contract, and talks over a new deal have stalled. Konate could follow Alexander-Arnold by leaving the club on a free transfer, but Liverpool is pushing to renew his contract.
New York Times
20 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Newcastle's Alexander Isak dilemma: Does it make sense to sell him as they try to sign Hugo Ekitike?
Newcastle United have a conundrum on their hands. On Monday, The Athletic reported that they were working on a deal worth around €75million to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike. The insistence was that they wanted to have both Ekitike and star striker Alexander Isak as options for next season. Advertisement By Tuesday, The Athletic reported Liverpool had made an approach to sign Isak. While no formal offer has been submitted, they have communicated their interest in doing a deal with Newcastle in the region of £120m. Amid this all, Isak's preference is unknown. If Isak does want to move, then having a player in the squad who wants out is never a good idea. If he is happy to stay, that would alleviate the pressure on any sale. But this all leaves Newcastle with a dilemma. Do they try to keep Isak and sign Ekitike too, fulfilling their original plan? Do they keep Isak knowing there is a risk other clubs — including Liverpool — could try and take Ekitike ahead of them? Do they sell Isak in order to try and push through Ekitike and fund any other business they want to do this summer? The Athletic's reporters were asked whether it could make sense for Newcastle to sell Isak and sign Ekitike and analysed across a few different categories: on the pitch, financially, in terms of perception and availability-wise. Here, Thom Harris, Chris Weatherspoon, Jacob Whitehead and Anantaajith Raghuraman give their answers. Isak is a one-of-a-kind centre-forward; tall and powerful, technically gifted and elegant on the ball, but still able to pack a punch with his driving runs and ability to strike through the ball on both feet. He's also Premier League proven, with 44 goals across his last two campaigns. Ekitike does not bring such a guarantee, but in terms of profile — the way he operates in his No 9 role — there are few closer stylistic matches in world football. The Frenchman, almost three years Isak's junior, aged 23, is similarly effective when it comes to carrying the ball, despite his slender 6ft 3in (190cm) frame. He spearheaded Europe's most effective counter-attacking team last season — no team generated more expected goals (xG) from fast breaks than Eintracht Frankfurt — with his long-strided, mazy dribbles and quick decision-making at speed. Advertisement As we can see from the visualisation below, illustrating where both strikers received their passes last season, both are comfortable dropping into deeper positions and drifting out wide where they can pick up possession and take on their man. Ekitike attempted more take-ons and carried the ball even further than Isak last year; in that regard, Newcastle won't be downgrading too much if both deals were to go through. Ekitike also chooses his moments well to charge into goal-scoring positions, bundling home eight goals from inside the six-yard box last season, as many as Isak. His link-up around the penalty area is sharp too, with the following lay-off for Mario Gotze against Werder Bremen last November illustrating his alert box movement, as well as his presence of mind to pivot and play the ball in the heat of the moment, holding the defender off with ease. Stylistically, then, Newcastle's interest in Ekitike makes sense, particularly if he is to come in as an Isak replacement. His play style should translate to a team that embraces quick transitions and instinctive football in the final third, while his defensive application gels with Eddie Howe's philosophy without the ball. That said, he is not yet the finished product, and his arrival would not come without risk. Ekitike's shot selection can often be poor, a young player who can easily get carried away after gliding past a defender or two. His tall frame sometimes makes it difficult for him to adjust and wrap his body around shots, no stranger to a tame effort on goal while struggling to dig the ball out from under his feet. Despite a healthy tally of 15 Bundesliga goals last season, the quality of chances that fell his way (xG) suggests that the average striker should have scored 6.6 goals more. Ekitike is a a tremendously exciting player and his intriguing blend of height, power and agility on the ball fills an Isak-sized hole, on paper. But given his relative inexperience in top-flight football and a few finishing issues to iron out, it may take a few years for him to reach the brutal goal-scoring legacy that the Swede would leave behind. Thom Harris As detailed earlier this week by The Athletic, any financial problems for Newcastle under their current ownership are rule-based rather than cash-based. It's worth, therefore, assessing what the sale of Isak might do for the club's profitability and sustainability (PSR) position. Isak arrived on Tyneside three years ago and still has three years to run on a six-year contract. After including estimations of agent fees and the applicable transfer levy, his current book value at Newcastle stands at roughly £34m. Advertisement Selling him for £120m — or more — would bank Newcastle a huge amount of profit, even while not all the fee would flow their way. Real Sociedad are owed 10 per cent of any profit Newcastle make on Isak; based on a £120m fee, the Spanish club would receive around £6m. That would still leave Newcastle with a whopping estimated profit on Isak of £79.8m. From a PSR perspective, it would provide a huge boost to their headroom. With sales booked immediately while purchases are spread over the length of player contracts, the impact on club financials would be stark. Say they followed up the sale of Isak by purchasing Ekitike on a five-year deal for £75m. The amortisation costs on the latter, even after assorted fees on top of what went to Frankfurt, would only be around £16.4m annually. In other words, in 2025-26, the sale of Isak and purchase of Ekitike for the fees mooted here would result in a positive impact on Newcastle's bottom line of around £63.4m. Compared to 2024-25, the positive movement would be even higher, as there'd be roughly £11.2m in amortisation costs saved on Isak too, equating to a £74.6m positive swing between last season's finances and this. That ignores wages, of course, but losing Isak from the wage bill and replacing him with Ekitike might not have much, if any, financial impact when it comes to salaries. What's more, that £74.6m in positive movements this season would free up Newcastle to bolster their squad elsewhere. They could, in effect and assuming all else remains equal (it won't, of course), add £74.6m more in costs to 2025-26 and arrive back at the same profit or loss figure as last season. Unlike in any effective Isak/Ekitike swap, further signings would mean Newcastle buying in someone new without shipping out someone similarly remunerated. Using up that £74.6m would have to incorporate the wages of any new signings, so it wouldn't be the case that they could utilise it all on transfer fees (£74.6m in annual amortisation would equate to well over £300m in fees if spread over five years). But even a thought exercise taking that into account shows the possibilities made available by sanctioning a big sale. Advertisement You can cut it any number of hypothetical ways, but say Newcastle wanted to go out and buy two £55m players and pay them £200,000 a week on five-year deals. After including extra fees and employment costs, each would cost them £24.5m annually, or £49m combined. Even after our hypothetical Isak sale, Ekitike signing and the arrival of those two players, the difference in Newcastle's bottom line between last season and 2025-26 would be a positive £25m or so. This is a buffer which could go towards helping in 2026-27, when they'll need to keep amortising those new fees and paying new wages without a repeat of the Isak sale. In other words, it would be a huge boost for them financially. Chris Weatherspoon At what cost? Newcastle clearly love Ekitike, who they have attempted to sign on two previous occasions, and who is coveted by a host of Europe's elite clubs. He is 23 years old, highly creative, and has the capacity to physically dominate. But if the price of that deal includes selling Isak to Liverpool, any fan goodwill evaporates. You throw Ekitike into a difficult situation, in a new league — Bundesliga strikers have not historically adapted quickly to English football — and ask him to instantly reproduce Isak's production. Ekitike may well be a success, but he is not proven, whereas Isak undoubtedly is — with 54 Premier League goals since joining three years ago, he is Newcastle's best forward since Alan Shearer. Now, figures at Newcastle are still insistent that Isak is not for sale, and that their plan is for Ekitike to play alongside Isak in the future. There are no indications that a sale needs to be countenanced, or that they will even enter negotiations with Liverpool. They still hope to ink him to a new deal. Unless Isak agitates for a move, this may go no further. But to play at the top of the transfer market, you have to play with high odds — Newcastle are now in that space. Jacob Whitehead Isak has had only one long-term injury over the course of his career, but has had to deal with niggling issues across the past few seasons. As the graph below shows, he missed 107 days (and 18 matches for club and country) during the 2022-23 season due to a thigh injury, according to Transfermarkt. He has dealt with three groin injuries across the last two seasons, in addition to a broken toe and a hamstring issue in 2024-25. In contrast, Ekitike has had only one major injury — a hamstring issue that sidelined him for 69 days in 2021-22 and forced him to miss 14 matches. The caveat with the 23-year-old is that his playing load has been lower than Isak's. Ekitike has crossed 1,500 league minutes only once in his career — in 2024-25 — compared to Isak's six seasons in which he has played that many minutes. Anantaajith Raghuraman
Times
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Times
Newcastle United braced for £130m bid for Alexander Isak from Liverpool
Newcastle United are bracing themselves for an official offer from Liverpool for Alexander Isak that could be in the region of £130million. The Times understands that the agent of Isak met Eddie Howe, the Newcastle head coach, at the club's training ground this month. Newcastle had been eager to discuss a new deal to make the Sweden striker the best paid player in the club's history. Since that meeting Newcastle have embarked on their own move to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike for what would be a club record fee. They have so far failed to match the £87million asking price for the 22-year-old, who they have twice failed to sign, having opened their bidding for the player at £70million. Senior sources at Newcastle were keen to stress on Tuesday afternoon that they have not received any official bid from Liverpool for Isak and do not want to sell the player. However, it is now thought interest in the 25-year-old has been communicated between the two clubs. Isak is training with Newcastle in their Austrian pre-season camp. The club's official X account perhaps pointedly used a picture of Isak out on the grass this morning, with speculation about his future mounting. Isak refused to be drawn on his future during the season when asked what would happen next. He has three years remaining on his £120,000-a-week deal. His agent ended talks of an extension last season and Newcastle were ready to make him the best paid player in the club's history. However, the Times reported this year that Isak wanted to play for a competitive Champions League team. He has scored only once in the competition. Newcastle hoped their qualification for the Champions League would help in their bid to keep him. Liverpool had previously played down any interest in the player, which was reported in The Times in June, but always with the caveat that there may be interest if they were given encouragement a player as good as Isak was available. Liverpool have a long-standing interest in Ekitike themselves. If they cannot agree a deal for Isak, it is thought they could yet return for the French striker. Newcastle have already spent £55million on the Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga and are locked in negotiation with Burnley for the goalkeeper James Trafford. Isak, who moved to Newcastle three years ago for £62million from Real Sociedad, scored 27 goals last season, including Newcastle's second in their 2-1 Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool. The Anfield club have already spent £100million on the attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayern Munich and on Tuesday rejected a £59million offer form Bayern Munich for Luis Díaz. Darwin Núñez is likely to leave the club this summer.
