Newcastle chairman instructs club over Alexander Isak transfer saga | OneFootball

Newcastle United are reported to have been instructed by chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan to keep hold of star striker Alexander Isak this summer.

Isak has replicated his excellent 2023/24 campaign in Newcastle colours, playing a crucial role to the club winning a first major domestic trophy in 70 years at the weekend.

Al-Rumayyan, the primary representative of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) on the Newcastle board of directors, was at Wembley Stadium to watch the moment in person.

The Daily Mail has reported that Al-Rumayyan has a particular soft spot for Isak, one of the Saudi ownership's earliest major buys within the first year of the 2022 takeover.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan is calling the shots / HENRY NICHOLLS/GettyImages

As such, the chairman has been described as "adamant" that Isak should not be sold, asking the Magpies sporting hierarchy to "resist" big money opportunities to cash in. There isn't thought to be a minimum asking price for the Swede because Al-Rumayyan and PIF are set against selling.

Isak has been most heavily linked with Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks and months.

Both clubs are in need of a new striker, with the Gunners identifying Newcastle's star man as their "priority" transfer target over alternative options like Benjamin Sesko or Samu Aghehowa.

The latest on Liverpool interest, the result of hoping to find a more reliable upgrade for the inconsistent Darwin Nunez, is that contact with members of the player's camp has already been initiated by the Premier League leaders.

Barcelona are another side rumoured to be courting Isak, with the aforementioned Mail report adding that the Catalans had a scouting presence at Newcastle's recent win over West Ham United. However, reports in Spain earlier this month suggested that Barca had all but given up hope of landing Isak as a potential Robert Lewandowski replacement due to the likely cost involved.