Liverpool have agreed a £125million British record transfer to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle on deadline day. The Magpies have performed a huge U-turn and finally allowed Isak to get his wish to leave for the Premier League champions. The Swedish international, who declined to participate in pre-season and has not played yet this term, is departing after three years in Tyneside, with his medical scheduled for this morning on Merseyside. He will sign a six-year contract to join the Reds.

Liverpool have finally tabled a new bid, a month after their initial £110m offer was rejected. The £125m fee for Isak will be a fixed sum, and Isak is expected to sign a six-year contract with the Reds, fulfilling his desire to join the Premier League champions. The record-breaking sale comes in at £25m less than Newcastle‘s original asking price of £150m. However, with Newcastle needing to secure a replacement due to Isak’s refusal to play, the deal was crucial to keep the Toon out of any PSR issues.

Last month, Isak issued a statement saying: “I’ve kept quiet for a long time while others have spoken. That silence has allowed people to push their own version of events, even though they know it doesn’t reflect what was really said and agreed behind closed doors.

“The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading.

“When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue. That’s where things are for me right now – and why change is in the best interest of everyone, not just myself.”

When questioned about Liverpool‘s behaviour during Isak’s potential transfer to Anfield, Howe had stated earlier this month: “I don’t think that’s for me to comment on. I can only comment on our conduct and how we conduct ourselves as a football club. I’ve got nothing to say about any other club.

“It’s not personal, it’s professional. It’s about Alex the player and us as a football team and our football club. What other football clubs do is irrelevant to me.”

Howe had also hinted that PSR was influencing matters at St James’ Park should certain transfers materialise, explaining on Friday: “I’ve said many times we don’t want to be in a position where we are having to make poor decisions, which we had to do, well documented, previously off the back of the decisions we’ve made trying to improve the squad as we are now.

“So I think PSR continues to influence everything we do but we don’t want to be chasing a big deficit because that will have big negative consequences if we are in that position again.”

However, Isak’s circumstances had been left with PIF, who ultimately decided to proceed with the sale, whilst Howe concentrated on the squad members at his disposal. Howe stated: “I don’t think you can be emotionally involved. If you’re emotionally involved, you’re going to make a bad decision. I’ve had to separate myself from it, as Alex exited the squad, initially.

“I took the view that the squad needed me to be the best me and be totally focussed on them. This situation was not going to be resolved quickly and I had no control over bringing any resolution to it. I was in that position when I took the call to move forward with the squad.”