The eye-watering weekly wage Alexander Isak has rejected from Al-Hilal as he favours Liverpool move

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The Alexander Isak transfer saga is quickly turning into the biggest of the summer.

After Liverpool first approached Newcastle regarding Isak’s availability, developments have come thick and fast, with Isak also being left out of Newcastle’s squad for their pre-season tour of Asia as he explores a potential move away from St James’ Park.

Interest in the forward extends beyond the Premier League, with Al-Hilal ready to pay £150m for Isak.

The Saudi Pro League club are also willing to go all-in on Isak in terms of wage offering, although this does not seem to be turning the Newcastle striker’s head in the way it might do with other players.

Alexander Isak rejects £600,000-a-week contract offer from Al-Hilal in favour of Liverpool move

According to a report in The Guardian, ‘Isak has been offered a staggering £600,000-a-week’ contract offer by Al-Hilal in an attempt to lure him to the club.

That number alone is eye-watering. It becomes even more so when you consider that being in Saudi Arabia, it will also be tax-free.

Moreover, ‘further lucrative bonuses’ have been added to sweeten the deal, which would see Isak receive even more money should he win the league, Asian Champions League, or top the scoring charts.

Thus far, however, this hasn’t been enough to turn the striker’s head, with Fabrizio Romano issuing an update on Saturday that Isak’s priority remains a move to Liverpool.

Why PSG could be the most logical option for Alexander Isak this summer

In a detailed piece written on TBR Football by football finance expert Adam Williams, it was made clear that Liverpool can afford Isak this summer, should they want to pay out for him, because of the extra PSR room they have created for themselves.

Even then, as reported by The Athletic, it is likely that a fee for Isak would be closer to £250m, once agent fees, the Swede’s wages, and other factors are taken into account.

The Athletic explain: ‘Buying Isak for £150m is more like a £171m transfer once we add in some estimated agent fees and, if the buyer is a Premier League club, a four per cent transfer levy.

‘Then there are Isak’s wages. His exact demands are unknown but given his status as one of the world’s leading players, a range of £250,000 to £300,000 a week is far from unreasonable. At that level, the hit to a club would be £15-£18m annually.’

The Athletic conclude: ‘Essentially, it’s fair to say signing Isak would lump £50m in annual costs onto his new club’. Hypothetically, then, should he be given a 5-year contract, ‘Isak would probably cost a new suitor more than £250m.’

Under current PSR rules, given that Premier League clubs are allowed to lose no more than £105m over a rolling-three period, it makes the financials around Isak complex, even for the highest revenue-generating clubs.

Added to this is the fact that most of the so-called ‘big six’ in the top flight have already gone big on reinforcing their attacking options.

Arsenal are completing a £62.4m deal for Viktor Gyokeres, for example, while Chelsea have spent a combined £90m on Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.

And despite their interest in Isak, Liverpool have bought Hugo Ekitike for an initial fee of £69m from Eintracht Frankfurt.

All told, it means that a club away from the Premier League may be better suited to signing Isak this summer.

PSG seem like the best bet here.

Not afraid to splash the cash in the past – Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the two most expensive players of all time, were brought to the French capital for £200m and £165.7m, respectively – their budget will also have been boosted after winning the Champions League and reaching the final of the Club World Cup.

Moreover, they would allow Isak to stay in Europe during the peak years of his career, giving him a shot at winning the Champions League.

If he is insistent on forcing his way out of St James’ Park this summer, then, Paris could well be the optimal destination.