Can they afford him? What would the deal mean for Isak? Our reporters dissect the news Newcastle are in talks to sign the French forward

Newcastle could turn to the Liverpool star after losing out to the Reds in the race for Hugo Ekitike, with his switch to Anfield all but done, while another exciting forward is on the Magpies' list

The Reds are recruiting from a position of strength having secured the Premier League title last season but know they must spend big to acquire their long-term No.9. They have whittled their search down to two players: Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

The 6ft 3in forward is one of the quickest players in the Bundesliga, surprisingly effective in the air and could work in tandem with Isak

Newcastle United have turned to Brentford star Yoane Wissa having ended their pursuit of Hugo Ekitike. The Magpies made an opening offer of £70million for Ekitike this week, one rejected by the Bundesliga side who are demanding his release clause of £86m be met in full.

Having failed to make a real impact at PSG in 2022/23, Ekitike has enjoyed a fresh start in Germany, establishing himself as one of the league’s standout young forwards. The 22-year-old has also hinted at a possible switch to Manchester United,

NEWCASTLE’S pursuit of Hugo Ekitike is over after they left talks for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, according to reports. The Magpies saw an opening bid of a club-record £69.5m knocked

Confidence is growing that Newcastle can quickly wrap up the signing of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt after sending club officials to Germany to finalise the transfer, and with David Ornstein revealing how his arrival will impact the Magpies’ side,