Deadline day: Liverpool break bank for Isak; Agrees to shell out £125m to bring in Newcastle striker

Alexander Isak has completed a record-breaking transfer to Liverpool from Newcastle United for 125 million pounds ($170 million), becoming the most expensive player in British soccer history. The 25-year-old Swedish striker's move on Monday concluded after a contentious period where he publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Newcastle and trained separately from the squad.The transfer fee surpassed Liverpool's previous British record of 116 million pounds paid for Florian Wirtz in July, and Chelsea's 115 million pounds acquisition of Moises Caicedo in August 2023.Isak, who scored 23 Premier League goals last season, had missed Newcastle's first three matches of the season while pursuing the move to Liverpool."It's been a long journey to get here," Isak said. "But I'm super happy to be a part of this team, this club and everything it stands for. It's something I'm proud of and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm just happy it's done and that I can get back to work. I'm looking forward to seeing my teammates and the fans, and getting back out there."Liverpool had initially bid 110 million pounds for Isak during the offseason before returning with their successful offer.The transfer makes Isak the fourth most expensive player globally, following Neymar's $262 million move to Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé's $216 million PSG transfer, and Philippe Coutinho's $192 million Barcelona deal.Isak, born in Stockholm to Eritrean parents, had joined Newcastle from Real Sociedad in 2022 and quickly established himself as one of the world's premier strikers.The transfer followed a public dispute between Isak and Newcastle, with the player claiming broken promises in an Instagram post and stating that "trust is lost" with the club.Newcastle responded by denying any commitment to selling Isak and suggested Liverpool's initial offer was insufficient.The Saudi-controlled Newcastle has responded to Isak's departure by signing two strikers: Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart and Yoane Wissa from Brentford.Liverpool's acquisition of Isak is part of their $570 million summer spending spree, following their record-tying 20th top-flight English title victory.The club's other significant signings include Florian Wirtz for 116 million pounds, Hugo Ekitike, and fullbacks Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.Liverpool has offset this spending by selling players including Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Jarell Quansah.The extensive squad overhaul comes under manager Arne Slot, who took over from Jurgen Klopp and remained quiet during the previous season before implementing significant changes.Newcastle acknowledged Isak's departure with a brief 37-word statement confirming the British-record fee received for the striker.The negotiations concluded in the final hours of the summer transfer window, with Isak joining Liverpool on what the club described as a "long-term contract."