Dietmar Hamann agreed with Jamie Carragher after the former Liverpool center-back told his old club that it should not pay around $200 million to sign Alexander Isak.

Isak is desperately trying to force a move away from Newcastle, having apparently told the North East club that he has no intention of ever playing for it again.

The Sweden international is keen to move to Liverpool before the transfer window closes, so much so that he has moved out of the home he has been renting in Newcastle.

Last month, Isak ruled himself out of Newcastle's pre-season tour of China, and upon his return to the club's training ground last week, he was ordered to train alone.

It feels like a long road back now for Isak to revive his Newcastle career — and it is absolutely clear that the player currently has no intention of doing that anyway.

Liverpool saw a bid of £110 million ($150 million) for Isak swiftly rejected earlier this month, with Newcastle said to value Isak at closer to £150 million ($204 million).

There is little chance that Liverpool will go that high, but it is possible that the two teams will meet somewhere in the middle before the window closes.

Carragher said last week that he didn't want Liverpool to spend over $200 million on Isak. "It will be an amazing signing. But from a Liverpool fan point of view, I don't want the club to spend £150m on Isak," Carragher said on The Overlap.

"I could probably imagine that he was Liverpool's No. 1 target, but there's something about Liverpool buying a striker [Ekitike] for £80m, and he's a back-up. There's something about it that doesn't sit right to me."

Dietmar Hamann doesn't want Liverpool to pay over $200 million for Alexander Isak (Image: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

Speaking to casino sites, Hamann agreed with Carragher. He said: “I think Liverpool have made their intentions clear now. If they can agree on a fee, they'll probably have to take Alexander Isak, because I always feel if things go public, you can't leave the player hanging.

"I think it'll be very hard for Isak to go back to Newcastle now. Even if he doesn't join Liverpool, they've got to find a way of trying to integrate him back into the team.

"I suppose he will end up with Liverpool, Isak. But how are they going to play then? That remains to be seen. I wouldn't pay £150million. I agree with Jamie Carragher.

"I think £150 million is a spicy price tag for him. He's a very good player. We know he can score goals in the Premier League, but I wouldn't mind if Liverpool start the season with Ekitike up top.”

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Liverpool is closing in on a deal to sign Giovanni Leoni for $35 million, and he will go straight into the Reds' first-team set-up, according to The Times.

It is claimed that Manchester United and Newcastle also showed late interest in Leoni, but he is set to move to Anfield, where he will effectively replace Jarell Quansah, who left Liverpool to join Bayer Leverkusen at the beginning of July.

Liverpool rates Leoni so highly that he is set to be integrated into Arne Slot's squad straight away, which will come as a disappointment to Parma.

The Italian team had hoped to be able to keep the teenager for another season on a loan deal from the Reds, but that is described as a possibility that was always unrealistic.

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes contacted Parma on Wednesday to finalize the transfer, and it is reported that Liverpool could end up paying add-ons on top of the base $35 million fee that the club has agreed to pay for Leoni. Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday night that the deal is "sealed" and Leoni will fly to England for his medical on Thursday.

"All documents have been approved and #LFC have just authorized Leoni to fly for medical tests," Romano wrote on X. The Reds have been eyeing a young center-back addition for some time, and in Leoni they appear to finally be getting their man after missing out on Levi Colwill, Leny Yoro and Dean Huijsen.

Meanwhile, talkSPORT reports that Marc Guehi remains content to see out the final year of his contract at Crystal Palace before leaving the Selhurst Park club on a free transfer next summer.

Guehi's deal at Palace will expire next June, when he will likely have his pick of clubs, and the contracts available to him will likely be far more lucrative because whichever club he joins will not have to pay a transfer fee for him.

Marc Guehi is also wanted by Liverpool (Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool is hopeful of signing both Leoni and Guehi this summer, as the Reds want to sign a more experienced player (Guehi) alongside the highly rated youngster.

It remains to be seen what the prospective additions of both players might mean for the future of Joe Gomez, who returned to training on Wednesday but hasn't been a regular starter since the 2019-20 season.

As a result, there is a good chance that he would be demoted to the role of fifth-choice defender were both players to arrive.

Gomez has previously been linked with a move to Palace, and the South London club would no doubt enter the market for a new center-back were Guehi to leave.

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Liverpool will dedicate the front cover of its matchday programme for Friday's Premier League clash with Bournemouth to Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva.

The Reds will continue to honor the Portuguese forward following his tragic death last month, with a range of tributes also set to be included in the special edition. The Premier League has also announced arrangements for tributes to be paid to Jota and his sibling ahead of all fixtures this weekend.

Friday's clash with the Cherries will mark the start of Liverpool's title defence, following on from last season's incredible success under Arne Slot, but also the club's first top-flight game without its 28-year-old striker.

Whilst tributes have been made at this summer's pre-season friendlies with Preston and Athletic Bilbao, along with last weekend's Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley, Friday's fixture is expected to be taken to an extra level.

"The first Liverpool FC matchday programme of the 2025-26 Premier League season features a range of tributes in memory of Diogo Jota," Liverpool posted to its official website on Wednesday.

"Friday's meeting with AFC Bournemouth is the first competitive fixture at Anfield since the tragic passing of the man who will forever be the club's number 20.

Fans have already been commemorating Jota throughout the summer (Image: Getty)

"The front cover of this edition is dedicated to Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, who also died in the road traffic accident in July."

The first programme of the 2025-26 Premier League season will also feature quotes from summer signing Milos Kerkez as he prepares to face off against his former team, along with the usual pre-match thoughts of Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk.

However, the primary focus ahead of kick-off will be remembering Jota, just over six weeks on from his tragic death. Alongside a minute's silence, players will also don black armbands, whilst clubs will receive materials and visuals to showcase on their big screens.

The Premier League has gone to great lengths to ensure that this will be the case for all 10 fixtures taking place this weekend, following talks with Liverpool to establish the most appropriate method of remembering the Portuguese international.

Tributes were paid to Jota and Silva before the Community Shield at Wembley (Image: Getty Images)

On Sunday, tributes were offered to Jota and his brother before the Community Shield encounter between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Wembley, where floral arrangements were placed on the turf and a period of silence was held before kick-off.

Liverpool supporters had also displayed their respects with a rousing rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' as the wreaths were brought onto the pitch, unveiling a white banner showing 'Diogo J' alongside the forward's image and squad number 20.

Just 24 hours before, Jota's former club, Wolves, paid its own touching tribute at Molineux ahead of the team's game against Celta Vigo, which included a floral wreath bearing Jota's name and number from his time at the club was created.

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Italian football legend Arrigo Sacchi has voiced his frustration at the possibility of teenage center-back Giovanni Leoni making the switch to Liverpool.

However, the former Italy and AC Milan manager acknowledges that the Reds would be securing a "real talent" should they finalise negotiations with Parma for the 18-year-old.

Liverpool is poised to intensify its pursuit of Leoni as they seek to reshape their center-back alternatives following Jarell Quansah's departure to Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer.

Italian media reports suggest the defender is receptive to the transfer, with Parma setting his price tag at €30 million ($35 million) plus add-ons.

The Reds have been scouring the market for a promising young center-back for numerous years and have previously seen their efforts to land Levi Colwill, Leny Yoro and Dean Huijsen come to nothing.

Yet they are now understood to have stolen a march on Inter Milan in the pursuit of Leoni, with Sacchi confessing he would rather this wasn't the situation.

"Liverpool would make a great signing, and he could thrive in the Premier League," he said. "It's a shame he's eluding the big clubs in Serie A. On the one hand, the news makes me immensely happy, and on the other, it makes me a little angry.

Giovanni Leoni is highly rated (Image: Image Photo Agency/Getty Images)

"Let me explain – I'm happy that an Italian player is receiving praise from a major club like Liverpool, but I wish AC Milan or Inter, Juventus or Napoli were competing for his transfer, not a foreign club.

"I'm told Italian teams don't have the same financial resources as English clubs. Absolutely true, but I add - why hasn't the football product been exploited here like in England? Why is it so complicated to buy a €40M ($46.8M) defender for an Italian club, and yet Liverpool doesn't flinch?"

Sacchi, penning his thoughts in his column for Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, continued: "We'll see if the deal goes through, but in any case, I feel like the Reds would make a great coup by securing this boy, whom I followed with curiosity and interest in the second half of last season.

"Leoni is only 18, and I'm told he's a decent guy, hard-working, humble, and very determined. Character is crucial in a footballer's career, as is temperament.

"If these two qualities are present, then the journey can proceed without any particular problems. It seems to me that Leoni is off to a good start: after all, if a major European club like Liverpool is persistently pursuing him, there must be a reason.

"We're dealing with a talent, there's no doubt about that."

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Alexander Isak and Newcastle United are at a bitter impasse, with the star striker angling for an exit.

However, the Swede's career trajectory could have been different had he left his former club Real Sociedad for another Premier League giant three years ago. The 25-year-old made his intentions clear last month when he expressed his desire to leave the Magpies.

Despite Liverpool having a bid in the region of $150 million turned down for him, neither side has shown any signs of backing down. Eddie Howe's team remains firm in their stance that he is not for sale and will wear a Newcastle shirt this season, while the player is reportedly refusing to play for the club again.

Since his arrival in 2022, Isak has taken the Premier League by storm, improving on his debut league goal tally of 10 with 21 two seasons ago and 23 last time out. It's no surprise that a club like the reigning champion has caught his eye, but he has had admirers in England since his days in Spain.

Mirror Football has taken a look below.

Manchester City's preference for Erling Haaland

After catching Borussia Dortmund's attention while playing in his native Sweden, Isak signed for the German side but moved to Spain in 2019 after struggling for game time. With Sociedad, he became one of La Liga's most respected strikers, attracting interest from many top clubs.

One of those interested was Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Manchester City signed Erling Haaland instead of Alexander Isak (Image: Getty)

Reflecting in 2024, years after Isak's move to Newcastle, Guardiola confessed: "At Real Sociedad, we started to follow him, we were impressed. He was a target. With his skills, all the clubs around the world take a look. I think he adapted really, really well in the Premier League."

Why didn't City chase Isak more aggressively? The answer is Erling Haaland. The Athletic reported in the summer of 2022 that the Norwegian was Guardiola's top priority, ahead of Isak, and Haaland's arrival even convinced him to sign a new contract with the club.

Guardiola got his wish when Haaland's £51M ($69M) Dortmund release clause was triggered that July, and he has since become a two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, netting 85 league goals since 2022, compared to Isak's 54, who landed in England a few months later.

Manchester United's 'tempting' Alexander Isak offer

City weren't the only Manchester club admiring Isak, as rivals Manchester United reportedly made a 'juicy offer' to the Swede that summer.

Mundo Deportivo reported that before Isak finalized his £63M ($85.5M) switch to Newcastle, the Red Devils, then under the leadership of Erik ten Hag, had been in contact with his representatives, who persuaded the striker to reject their proposal.

Sociedad never received a bid from United for Isak, and having missed out on his signature, Ten Hag kicked off his first season at the helm with Cristiano Ronaldo spearheading the attack, although that notoriously only lasted until November.

Arsenal's 'overpriced' release clause regret

Arsenal were among the clubs that had Isak on their radar before he signed for Newcastle United, and they perhaps came the closest to securing his signature with an informal offer.

Arsenal was another team linked with Alexander Isak (Image: Getty Images)

The Gunners were looking to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up front and saw Isak as the perfect replacement. However, when they approached him in January 2022, they found some discrepancies regarding the Swede's price tag.

Mikel Arteta's side put forward an informal £56M ($76M) offer, which was significantly lower than Real Sociedad's valuation, as they were sticking to Isak's £74.7M ($101.3M) release clause. The Athletic reported that this fee was simply too high for Arsenal, who considered him 'overpriced,' and Isak ended up at St. James' Park the following summer while still being monitored by the Gunners.

A fee of £75m ($102M) would now be seen as a bargain for Isak, who, after Liverpool's £120M ($150M) bid was turned down, is thought to be valued at a potential British record transfer sum of £150M ($203.5M) by Newcastle.

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Jamie Carragher has cautioned Liverpool that landing Alexander Isak's signature wouldn't automatically deliver them the Premier League title.

However, by contrast, his Sky Sports colleague Gary Neville believes it would make the Reds overwhelming favorites. The Reds clinched the championship by a commanding 10-point margin last season and have subsequently invested more than $400M on fresh recruits.

Liverpool has also seen an offer worth up to $150 million for Isak turned down by Newcastle United. Isak is currently training separately from the Newcastle squad following his absence from the club's pre-season tour of Asia and has allegedly declined to feature for Eddie Howe's team.

With Isak eager to join Liverpool, there remains a chance the striker could realize his ambition and bolster Arne Slot's already impressive attacking options.

When questioned about Liverpool's chances of securing Isak, Sky Sports pundit Carragher responded: "Yeah, I think so, but I don't get this narrative of Liverpool are going to run away with it."

Carragher highlighted the Reds' Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace as proof that new signings Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike will need time to gel. Additional reinforcements could still arrive, with the club also in discussions over a potential move for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

"If you look at history, it could tell you that it's not just about having the best players, it's about having the best team, and sort of making that balance right, and at the weekend it didn't quite look right," Carragher said.

Alexander Isak scored 23 league goals for Newcastle United last season (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

"I think we will have a title race, and I think there's a lot of talk. I think the great thing about football is what we actually saw on Sunday with Liverpool. It didn't look right.

"It tells me it's not just about spending lots of money and buying the best players, you've still got to manage that team and make it work and have a nice balance to it."

Nevertheless, former Manchester United defender Neville reckons that securing Isak could position Liverpool as the leading contenders to defend their title.

"Liverpool won it really comfortably last year and have had a great transfer window," he said during the launch of Sky Sports' Premier League coverage.

"If they get Isak, which it looks like he's agitating for a move, then it will make them massive favorites. But Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, I think will push them closer than last year."

Liverpool is aiming to retain the Premier League and claim the club's 21st league title this season (Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Manchester City moved quickly in the transfer market following a disappointing campaign by their own lofty standards. Pep Guardiola has brought goalkeeper James Trafford back to the club, snapped up Wolves full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, signed Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan and added Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki.

Arsenal is eager to surpass its three consecutive second-place finishes, with Viktor Gyokeres joining as the club's new No. 9. The addition of Martin Zubimendi should bolster the Gunners' midfield, while Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera provide Mikel Arteta with increased squad depth.

Chelsea, despite their Europa Conference League and Club World Cup victories under Enzo Maresca, are considered outsiders in the title race.

The Blues have been active in the transfer window, notably adding Liam Delap and Joao Pedro to their forward line, signing Borussia Dortmund forward Jamie Gittens and welcoming highly-rated prospect Estevao.

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