Dan Ashworth in Spain to conclude Alexander Isak move to Newcastle United

Things moving very fast now with this Alexander Isak to Newcastle United transfer story.

We reported this afternoon that over in Spain minor media outlet El Diario Vasco had a transfer exclusive.

They were reporting that Real Sociedad had accepted a Newcastle United offer that was too good to turn down and were already looking for a replacement for Alexander Isak, having agreed the sale to NUFC.

They stated that the deal was a £59m guaranteed transfer fee (a record buy for Newcastle and record sale for Real Sociedad), with £4.2m extra in potential future add-ons and then a 10% sell-on clause as well, if / when NUFC ever sold the Swedish striker in the future.

Initially, a few of the usual suspects appeared to be simply repeating this El Diario Vasco exclusive and ‘forgetting’ to credit their ‘source’…but now the more credible journalists are lining up to also say this deal is happening!

The Telegraph appeared to have the inside track back in July when Newcastle United were heavily linked with Alexander Isak. That interest back then said to have reached a dead end due to two reasons. Real Sociedad insisting on Newcastle meeting the £76m release clause in the 22 year old’s contract, plus Alexander Isak and his representatives looking for £200,000+ a week in wages – which would have been more than double what Newcastle’s current highest earner Kieran Trippier is on (around £100,000).

The Telegraph have now given some extra insight on what has happened in the lead up to what appears to be now a successful Newcastle bid for Alexander Isak.

They report that Dan Ashworth flew out to Spain this week to do the transfer negotiations in person, with concerns about Callum Wilson helping to give an extra push for Newcastle United to push the boat out for Alexander Isak.

A compromise from all parties also helping to get the deal now done, with The Telegraph saying that the NUFC Sporting Director has got Real Sociedad to agree the lower £59m guaranteed transfer fee and just as importantly, agreeing to have it made in staggered instalments. Dan Ashworth also getting Alexander Isak and his representatives to accept wages of around the £120,000 a week mark, a lot closer to United’s current wage structure.

The Telegraph say that whilst Callum Wilson feeling his hamstring during the draw with Man City and going for scans has helped persuade NUFC to now go full in on Alexander Isak, the Wilson injury is not believed to be serious and a case of missing a few weeks potentially, not months.

The newspaper update adds that a second attacking signing is also expected to arrive as well as Alexander Isak but that this will almost certainly be a loan signing, as the elite clubs look late in the window at who they want to allow out on loan, once they have landed their own targets. The Telegraph saying that the likes of Christian Pulisic and Conor Gallagher continue to be amongst those under consideration by Newcastle.

Only eight days now until the transfer window ends at 11pm on Thursday 1 September and looking very likely that Newcastle United will be very active.