LIVERPOOL'S SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW SPENDING

 

LIVERPOOL PREPARED TO SMASH BRITISH TRANSFER RECORD AGAIN TO SIGN ALEXANDER ISAK FROM NEWCASTLE WITH STRIKER STALLING OVER NEW DEAL

Liverpool are prepared to smash their transfer record again to sign Alexander Isak this summer

Liverpool are prepared to smash their transfer record for the second time this summer as Alexander Isak's Newcastle future was cast into further doubt on Tuesday.

The Premier League champions have already made the statement signing of the summer by signing Florian Wirtz for £116million; they supplemented that by landing another Bayer Leverkusen player, Jeremie Frimpong, as well as Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.

But the addition of Isak would surpass everything. It will take a new British record fee to secure the Sweden international, in advance of £125m, but Liverpool's intentions are clear: they will move if they receive encouragement.

Adding Isak to the squad would take Liverpool's transfer overhaul to more than £300m

Newcastle remain adamant that Isak is not for sale and want to enhance his £120,000 per week contract - a task that should have been done on the watch of former Director of Football Paul Mitchell - but talks stalled earlier this year and there has been no progress.

Isak is currently with Newcastle's squad in Austria for a training camp and they want to enhance their forward line by adding Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt but, so far, their bid has fallen way short of the German's expectations: they want €100m (£86m) for the France Under-21 international.

Mail Sport understands Newcastle have bid £70m for Ekitike - a player in whom Liverpool also retain an interest - but the structure of what they have offered doesn't tally with what Frankfurt want; it has been a challenging window so far for Newcastle, who have agreed to sell Sean Longstaff to Leeds.

The fee for Isak would surpass the total £116m which they could shell out for Wirtz if all add-ons clauses are met

Liverpool have been determined to add a striker to their ranks since they secured their 20th title and while Isak represents the ideal choice, it is very much the club's modus operandi to have other targets in mind should they be required.

Aside from Isak and Etikete, Liverpool have discussed Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and Yoane Wissa, the livewire Brentford forward who was close to joining Arsenal in January. 

Victor Osimhen has also been mentioned during talks with Napoli over Darwin Nunez.

Another intriguing detail is the fact Manchester United's Marcus Rashford's name was floated during a conversation but nothing progressed beyond that; there is little potential for that to be resurrected, given the question marks about his form in recent seasons.

Eddie Howe's side have already bid £70m for Hugo Ekitike, a sign they could be planning for life without Isak

This is an exceptionally busy period for Liverpool, who on Tuesday immediately rebuffed an offer for Luis Diaz from Bayern Munich. 

The German champions made a £58.5m proposal for the Colombia international but that is miles short of the Anfield club's £86m valuation.

That figure is identical to fee Manchester United rejected for their captain Bruno Fernandes from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal at the beginning of June. 

Diaz, who is two years younger than the Portuguese, was the subject of firm interest from Al Nassr.

Newcastle are currently away in Austria for their pre-season training camp (pic: Eddie Howe)

In a situation that mirrors Isak's position on Tyneside, though, sources in Colombia have told Mail Sport that while Diaz has huge affection for Liverpool, he doesn't believe his current salary represents his value to the club. There have been no signs of them renewing the 28-year-old's terms.

Barcelona have also been persistently linked with Diaz but they have not made any contact. 

Liverpool, clearly, will offload some of their squad in the coming weeks. Napoli are the only club to make contact over Darwin Nunez but their offer of £55m, including add-ons, was miles short.

Nunez, who scored in the 3-1 win at Preston last Sunday, was Liverpool's club record signing in 2022 at £84m and the intention is to recoup £70m. England Under-21 pair Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton also have admirers.

- DOMINIC KING

LIVERPOOL FC SIGNINGS

 

MILOS KERKEZ MAKES MAJOR LIVERPOOL CLAIM IN FIRST WORDS AFTER £40M TRANSFER

Milos Kerkez speaks for the first time as a Liverpool player after completing his £40m move from Bournemouth

Milos Kerkez new signing for Liverpool FC at AXA Training Centre on June 26, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Milos Kerkez says he is privileged to play for "the biggest club in England" after his £40m switch to Liverpool from Bournemouth was confirmed on Thursday.

The 21-year-old defender joins on a five-year deal after the Reds struck a £40m agreement with the Cherries. The Hungary international had been a long-standing target for the Premier League champions, who made their move earlier this month after weeks of speculation around a summer transfer pursuit.

Sporting director Richard Hughes had been in negotiations with friend and Bournemouth counterpart Simon Francis and while the Cherries were initially looking for £45m, a £40m package was eventually agreed upon.

Kerkez, who joined Bournemouth two years ago from AZ Alkmaar in a deal worth around £15.5m, has told Liverpool's official website of his delight at completing a dream move to the Premier League champions.

"I'm really happy," Kerkez told Liverpoolfc.com. "It's a real honour for me, a privilege to come to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, [the] biggest club in England. I'm just really, really happy and excited.

"After this, I'll go home and in my hometown enjoy a few days, and then I can't really wait to come back and put the training kit on and start to train and prepare for the season."

"I just want to thank everyone for really showing me big love, even before it will be announced now. And keep supporting the team like you support always, because you're the biggest fan base in the world."

Kerkez, who becomes the most expensive left-back in Anfield history, added: "I'm going to give everything - absolutely everything - to win trophies with the club and to hopefully score some goals at Anfield. I can't wait to hear the roar. And see you soon."

He becomes the third signing of a big-spending summer, joining £29m Jeremie Frimpong and £116m Florian Wirtz from Leverkusen, while Girogi Mamardashvili's £29m move from Valencia, that was agreed last year, will see the Georgia international join in time for pre-season alongside the new recruits.

Liverpool report for pre-season training on Monday July 7 before the first friendly of the summer schedule at Preston North End six days later.

MAN UNITED £100M MILOS KERKEZ TRANSFER DEMAND AFTER RÚBEN AMORIM SANCTIONS DEAL

Latest Manchester United transfer news as Milos Kerkez continues to attract attention with a fine display against Newcastle

Milos Kerkez remains a target for Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)

Manchester United transfer target Milos Kerkez continued his fine season with AFC Bournemouth on Saturday with a brilliant goal in their 4-1 win at Newcastle United.

Kerkez, 21, has been one of the best left-backs in the Premier League this term. United and Liverpool have both been tipped with pursuing a move for the Hungary international.

Ruben Amorim is reportedly pushing for a new left-back with Luke Shaw out injured and Tyrell Malacia understood to be allowed to leave the club on loan this window.

Kerkez, who cost Bournemouth around £15.5million, has come on leaps and bounds since his 2023 move from AZ Alkmaar. On Saturday, he showed United exactly what he can do with a brilliant performance against high-flying Newcastle.

A threat throughout the contest, Kerkez scored his second goal of the season in injury-time with a sweet left-footed effort. It wrapped up another excellent win for Andoni Iraola's side, who are now seventh in the Premier League and unbeaten in 11.

Bournemouth are understood to have no plans to sell Kerkez in January meaning a move in the summer is much more likely. But if United are going to bring the Hungarian to Old Trafford, he could cost a fair bit.

Kerkez's teammate and hat-trick hero at Newcastle, Justin Kluivert, was one of many Cherries' players who commented on Kerkez's social media post. The former Ajax and Roma man commented: "£100M POUNDSSSS son."

If United did pay close to Kluivert's valuation of Kerkez, they would pay a world-record fee for a defender. That tag is currently over Josko Gvardiol's head after his £77.6m move to Manchester City.

- Josh Holland