By the end of June, the Reds had wrapped up a club-record £116million deal for Florian Wirtz, secured Jeremie Frimpong as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, and signed Milos Kerkez for £40m.

Indeed, it emerged that Isak has been training at Real Sociedad’s facilities in Spain rather than at Newcastle’s Brenton ground. Real Sociedad has a vested interest in any potential Isak transfer, holding a 10% sell-on clause for any fee above €70 million,