Ex-Barcelona president reveals negotiations for Isak as Liverpool weigh £140m bid

Alexander Isak could have been wearing Barcelona colours long before he lit up the Premier League, according to former Blaugrana sporting director Ramon Planes.

As Liverpool prepare a massive £140 million bid for the Newcastle striker, fresh revelations show just how close he came to being part of a new era at the Camp Nou.

During a recent interview with Sport, Ramon Planes revealed that while he was at Barcelona, the club were already scouting and speaking with Alexander Isak’s representatives.

At the time, Isak was still playing for Real Sociedad, and the plan was to gradually integrate him as a long-term successor to Luis Suárez.

“We were in conversations with his agent,” Planes admitted, adding, “The idea was for him to start as a squad player and then grow into a regular starter.”

The strategy mirrored the successful signing of Pedri, who joined in 2020 and blossomed into one of the top midfielders in the world.

Although Isak never made the switch, Planes emphasised how important it is for big clubs to time exits and arrivals properly to ensure smooth transitions between generations.

Despite Barcelona’s keen interest, the deal for Isak never materialised due to timing, finances, and competing priorities during a turbulent era for the club.

Fast forward to today, and Isak is now at the centre of one of the summer’s biggest transfer sagas.

Liverpool, eager to strengthen their attack, are preparing a £140 million proposal after Newcastle rejected their initial bid.

The structure of the new offer, according to DaveOCKOP.com, will include £80 million upfront, £50 million in instalments next year, and another £10 million in add-ons.

Newcastle reportedly want £150 million and a proper replacement lined up before they will even consider letting their star striker go.

With other clubs lurking and many pundits warning that failing to sign Isak could hamper the Reds’ title defence, the pressure is mounting on Liverpool to get this one over the line.