Exhibit A? Tuesday night’s statement on Alexander Isak, which was signed off by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund at a pace not normally associated with an organisation where the structure and governance tends to slow down dynamic decision-making.
In a close season where the majority owners have been accused of losing interest, that level of involvement on such a key club matter feels significant.
Isak has three years left on his current deal at St James’ Park (Photo: Getty)
“Total alignment” is the phrase used by insiders about the statement and it seems to leave Isak and his representatives little room for manoeuvre after their own decision to go public.
The intention, carefully worded to protect the club in case a game-changing offer does arrive, was to lay out in no uncertain terms that they will not be pushed into accepting an offer while their sale terms haven’t been met.
As reported by The i Paper last month, one of Liverpool’s three conditions for bringing in another forward is that they are “attainable”, the others being they represent fair market value and would be able to strengthen the first team.
Talks are continuing with Brentford over Yoane Wissa (Photo: Getty)For Newcastle, the bigger picture is what it says about the direction of travel under PIF, whose internal targets for this season are high and whose ambition is understood to be undimmed from when chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan very deliberately stated that he wanted the club to be “No 1”.
But a PIF pivot is underway with a wider reboot of the club’s operations around the corner.
Supporting roles have been filled over the summer – a first technical director, a promotion for Jack Ross to head of strategy and director of football for the ambitious women’s team are all viewed as important – and PIF’s emotional and financial investment will step up in the months to come.
square FOOTBALL Sport AnalysisWhy Isak's 'broken promises' bombshell looks like a mistake as Newcastle hit back
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In Riyadh, it is understood, there are a team of 40 to 50 people continually working on and working through Newcastle matters.
But a message has been sent this summer that Newcastle aren’t prepared to be pushed into a corner by the existing elite.
And it is not an emotional decision but one based, as PIF’s strategy has consistently been, on what makes sense in the long-term.
Having found their feet in the transfer market – Andy Howe has quietly impressed after a baptism of fire early in the summer – Newcastle are now focused on the final missing pieces of the jigsaw after the swift and impressive captures of Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey this week.
Newcastle’s search appears to have settled on two options this week: Yoane Wissa and Jorgen Strand Larsen.
In a mirror image of the Magpies’ plight with Isak, it is as much about getting a replacement as it is about the valuation.
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Work on Larsen has intensified this week but Wolves are not willing sellers either so the prospects of Anthony Gordon starting up front against Liverpool are growing by the day.
There remains the potential to do one other deal on top of the Callum Wilson replacement but the focus for now is on a forward.
Get that and Newcastle might be able to look to the future with some optimism.
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