Alexander Isak transfer news: Newcastle future analysed and Liverpool finances explained as striker explores options

Alexander Isak has told Newcastle he wants to explore his transfer options this summer - but what are they and could Liverpool afford him? Sky Sports News' Keith Downie, Lyall Thomas and Mark McAdam answer the key questions around his future.

Isak is frustrated that he was denied the opportunity last week when Liverpool made an informal approach. Ekitike, who was essentially meant to be his replacement at Newcastle, moved to Liverpool instead. From the outside looking in, that was another door closing for Isak.

Eddie Howe said something that stuck out to me in his post-match press conference on Saturday after the friendly against Celtic. He said: "I am really aware it's a short career for a footballer." That to me is something that's likely been communicated to him by Isak or his representatives.

I think Isak feels, having been at Newcastle for three years, scoring 62 goals and helping them win the Carabao Cup last year, he has done what he set out to achieve.

Isak's development has been almost faster than the club's. I'm not saying he's outgrown Newcastle, but he's in a position where he is one of the best strikers in Europe playing for a team that doesn't really have the opportunity to win the Premier League, you would suggest.

He is ambitious, wants to win trophies and feels he should be earning £250,000 to £300,000 per week. He's not earning that at Newcastle, and he knows the other top strikers in the Premier League are earning that money. I think he doesn't want to be denied the possibility of that earning potential.

The fact that Liverpool made an approach last week suggests they were willing to pay a fee at least in the region of what Newcastle are looking for, which is around £150m. That admiration hasn't just suddenly disappeared with the signing of Hugo Ekitike.

Liverpool are happy with their strike force and their squad, but that doesn't mean their business is finished. This is a new summer for Arne Slot. It's the first time he's really attacked a transfer window since being appointed a year ago.

He's had 12 months with the players, he understands the Premier League, he's a Premier League winner already and he wants to make Liverpool even better, and that means signing the very best players they possibly can.

Isak is certainly one of, if not the best, striker in the Premier League. Whether Liverpool decide they can fit both him and Ekitike into their plans remains to be seen, but it is certainly one to watch.

Eddie Howe believed he could fit Ekitike and Isak into the same team, so why wouldn't Slot?

Quite simply, Liverpool can afford to do a deal for Isak because they are very sensibly and sustainably run by owners FSG, and they have been for a number of years.

I spoke with an independent football finance expert who told me Liverpool could spend £500m in this summer's transfer window and still be PSR compliant because they are so well run.

In last summer's window, they only spent £12.5m on Federico Chiesa. They also generated around £60m in player sales. That means they've got a big wedge of cash in their pocket from last summer that was unspent, and that's helping them this summer.

Their turnover was £614m in their last set of accounts. It's going to be even more next time because of the commercial success, the football success and the bonuses that are attached to a lot of those commercial packages that they've set up. Therefore, the income is going to go up too.

In terms of player sales, Liverpool have generated more than £60m already. The four players they've moved on this summer have either been academy players, who represent pure profit under PSR, or have been sold on for big profits.

Then, if you add in the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott, those three players alone could raise another £150m. That would also create space in the forward line, potentially.

When you take that into account, their net spend potentially starts looking quite healthy, on top of being a really well-run club.