The benefits explained before “Operation Isak Situation” was launched around end of June… | OneFootball

For those of you who are regular readers of The Mag, like me you are probably sick to the back teeth of articles explaining how the Alexander Isak situation is going to play out, written by authors with little or no inside knowledge of the facts.

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but this is another.

However, before you skip this article entirely, I urge you to read on a little as you may find that this is slightly different from the norm.

Back at the start of this summer’s transfer window the club faced a number of issues. With Champions League football returning for the coming season, there was a desire to strengthen the playing squad with a new right sided centre back, a replacement for Miguel Almiron on the right wing and for Callum Wilson at striker. The goalkeeping squad also needed to be sorted out and perhaps one or two others signed.

PSR was an issue which limited the amount that could be spent and the club was also aware that they may wish to further strengthen the squad in the upcoming January window if progress in the Champions League looks likely.

Alexander Isak had also been promised an improved contract which required to be funded within the requirements of PSR and there were other related issues such as his agent wishing to arrange one final significant deal prior to his retirement.

As we all know, Eddie Howe is a master tactician and “Operation Isak Situation” was discussed with the Club Chairman and his approval obtained. Alexander Isak’s role was outlined to him and the benefits explained before “Operation Isak Situation” was launched around the end of June. The first public signs that “Operation Isak Situation” had been launched were when Alexander Isak was omitted from the squad to play Celtic and his agent announced that he wished to consider his options. Liverpool had already indicated an interest in acquiring Isak’s services and this fact had not gone unnoticed by the club. As was expected, these two public signals were enough to launch a media firestorm with speculation about Isak’s future elsewhere. Liverpool announced to the media that they would be willing to pay £120 million to sign him and followed up with an offer of £110 million which was rejected out of hand as being well below Newcastle’s view of his worth. But privately club officials were delighted that Liverpool had submitted a bid as this was all part of the strategy envisaged by “Operation Isak Situation.”

Eddie Howe and Alexander Isak are clearly on very good terms and Alexander Isak understands his role in “Operation Isak Situation.” He has performed perfectly. Everything he has done has given the impression that he no longer wants to play in black and white and that Liverpool is his chosen destination.

We now see numerous reports in the press that Liverpool will return with an improved offer for Alexander Isak after the match on Monday evening. This is exactly the scenario envisaged in the planning for “Operation Isak Situation.” Things are set to move quickly next week and let me now reveal how things will play out.

On Tuesday or Wednesday, Liverpool will return with an offer of around £140 million for Isak. I’m not sure whether this will be high enough for the club, or whether they will wish to play poker for another day or two, with the aim of extracting a higher offer. But once an offer that meets Newcastle’s criteria is received, the details will be communicated to the club Chairman who has been personally overseeing the situation. Shortly afterwards, within a few hours, Newcastle will receive an offer that matches the Liverpool offer from one of the Saudi clubs controlled by the PIF. Newcastle will indicate that the offers meet their criteria and that it is up to Alex Isak to decide which he will accept.

Alexander Isak then decides to accept …………..THE SAUDI OFFER!

The deal will be completed and Newcastle will bank a PSR profit in the order of £100 million. Alexander Isak’s agent has the deal he wants to enable him to retire and Alexander Isak maybe trebles his weekly wages.

Then, a day after the deal completes, the Saudi club announces that it has agreed a loan arrangement for the 2025/26 season whereby Alexander Isak will play for ………. Newcastle United. Newcastle agree to pay his increased wages, which with a PSR profit in the bank of £100 million from the sale, they are happy to do so. And there are enough factors around the Isak arrangements that mean that the club can justify the increased wages without triggering demands from the rest of the squad.

But wait I hear you say. The rest of the Premier League will scream foul! They will complain that the deal is a related party deal that doesn’t count for PSR purposes. But the objective behind “Operation Isak Situation” all along, has been for the club to ensure it receives a third party offer for Isak that can then be used to justify the sale to the Saudi club as being on arm’s length terms.

So Newcastle get a PSR profit of £100 million, they retain the services of Alexander Isak for the coming season at least, the real situation behind the Isak situation becomes apparent to all and Alexander Isak is welcomed back to St James’ Park as a hero, having played an absolute blinder in “Operation Isak Situation.”

The only downside is that the team have been without the services of Alexander Isak for a couple of matches at the start of the season, but on the other hand, he is well and truly rested for a rigorous season to come. Eddie Howe and all the rest of the squad have been very careful not to criticise Alexander Isak throughout and this is consistent with him returning to the Newcastle team. Liverpool, who initiated the whole opportunity, are left spitting feathers.

As I said at the start of this article, you’re probably fed up with reading articles that are based on the fantasies of the authors who have no knowledge of what is actually happening, but I hope you’ve enjoyed this one.