Isak transfer saga, a milestone event?

Written by Han Bing The transfer drama of Isak, the Premier League's record-level deal, is about to reach its finale. On August 19th UK time, Isak missed the players' meeting award ceremony for last season and issued a statement accusing Newcastle of breaking promises, publicly severing ties. From Newcastle’s declaration on July 15th that Isak was not for sale this summer, to Liverpool’s first £110 million + add-ons bid being rejected on August 1st, and then Isak "burning bridges" himself, whether the new Premier League record signing can be made before the summer window closes depends on Liverpool’s latest £130 million offer and the little-known newly revised Article 17 of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

Undoubtedly, Isak’s transfer has been the longest and most high-profile mega deal of this summer window. After Liverpool’s initial offer was turned down, they did not rush to increase it but waited for the split between Isak and Newcastle — Isak pressed forward step by step, first skipping Newcastle’s Asia tour, training alone at his formative club Real Sociedad’s base, then returning to Newcastle on August 4th but still training separately to show his stance; subsequently missing the friendly against Espanyol and the Premier League opener against Aston Villa. On August 19th, Isak and Newcastle publicly broke off over the “wage raise promise,” and with Newcastle’s alternative target Vysal also breaking ties with parent club Brentford, things reached a decisive moment.

Isak’s behavior sparked intense debate among British media and fans. Newcastle legend Shearer and many media outlets harshly criticized Isak, calling him arrogant and ungrateful to the club that developed him into a world-class striker. They argued that he is abandoning Newcastle just because a £12,000 weekly wage was not increased by £2,000, while Newcastle is trying to make him a club legend like Shearer. However, Liverpool legend Owen disagreed, stating players have the right to seek moves to better clubs. He believes Isak is not the first to strongly want to leave; once determined, forcing the issue only harms team performance and locker room harmony in the new season.

Isak’s dissatisfaction stems from last year’s promises of a pay raise made by the club’s minority shareholders Amanda Staveley, Godusi, and sporting director Ashworth. After these three left the club, Newcastle strictly adhered to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and refused to increase wages, making him feel betrayed. At the same time, he strongly questioned the so-called grand strategy of the Magpies amid tightened finances.

Isak has completely laid his cards on the table, meaning his fate has reached a critical point. The Guardian sees Newcastle’s response as clearly “negotiating”; The Sun quickly revealed Liverpool’s second offer next Monday of £130 million + add-ons, very close to Newcastle’s psychological price of £150 million. Since Vysal also broke with Brentford, Newcastle’s previous excuse of “no replacements found, so refusing to sell” is losing credibility. If Isak leaves, Newcastle will have ample funds to meet Brentford’s asking price for a replacement.

More importantly, Isak may invoke the newly revised Article 17 of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players to force Newcastle to sell at a lower price. This clause was introduced 20 years ago under EU pressure, allowing players to unilaterally terminate contracts early by paying compensation to their clubs. Last October, the arbitration ruling on Lassana Diarra prompted FIFA to further amend this clause, greatly favoring player rights. Isak is expected to activate the revised “Article 17” within 15 days after the last round of the new Premier League season (early June 2026). Once triggered, Isak can become a free agent after July 1 next year. Although Newcastle is entitled to compensation, FIFA’s Football Tribunal Dispute Resolution Chamber calculates the fee based only on Isak’s last two contract years’ salary (£12.5 million), unpaid transfer fee balance (£20 million), and replacement signing costs (unlikely over £50 million).

If Newcastle continues to refuse to release him, Isak can pay the price of staying one more season to gain free agency, while Newcastle’s transfer fee return will be at least halved compared to selling to Liverpool this summer. Although Newcastle’s Saudi royal backers may not mind, considering Newcastle must comply with PSR rules and maintain a healthy locker room atmosphere, selling Isak now is almost the best and only option. Liverpool has also set a deadline for the deal; if next week’s offer is rejected again, they will shift their target. Of course, this is clearly also a bargaining tactic by Liverpool.

It is reported that the Premier League is considering revising relevant rules to handle more cases like Isak’s in the future. The impact of Isak’s transfer goes beyond potentially setting a new Premier League record fee; it could fundamentally change the power balance between players and clubs in transfer negotiations. From this perspective, Isak’s transfer might be a milestone event benefiting all players in the Premier League.