Newcastle United
Isak Accused of Undermining Newcastle’s Champions League Bid After Contract U-turn
Claims say Alexander Isak hindered Newcastle’s Champions League bid after contract reversal in 2024.
Alexander Isak has been accused of “not wanting” Newcastle United to qualify for the Champions League, a claim that stems from reporting around a stalled contract and his behaviour during the closing stages of the 2024–25 season.
According to The Guardian, the story began in the first half of 2024 when Amanda Staveley reportedly promised Isak a new contract to be delivered that summer. Staveley was dislodged in June and Paul Mitchell is said to have withdrawn the inflated offer. The U-turn has been linked to Isak’s slow start to the 2024–25 campaign, when he managed one league goal in his opening six appearances and was described as “incandescent.”
Eddie Howe helped Isak recover form, overseeing a productive run at the turn of the year that was capped by Isak’s winning goal in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. After that victory, The Telegraph reported the 25-year-old became “quiet and withdrawn.” The same report said some within the club felt he was “behaving like someone who did not want the team to qualify for the Champions League.”
Statistically, over the period in question Isak scored four Premier League goals, half of which were penalties. Only two players in the division recorded a higher non-penalty expected goals tally than Isak across April and May. He also converted an 89th-minute penalty to secure a point against Brighton & Hove Albion with three games of the campaign remaining.
Supporters’ discontent grew before Isak’s departure. The influential supporters’ group Wor Flags, responsible for the murals at St James’ Park, voiced strong criticism on Instagram: “You were idolised and adored by every generation of our brilliant fan base, legendary status,” they wrote. “You have shown your true colours and thrown it right back in the face of those same supporters.”
The reports combine contractual fallout, a midseason revival and lingering questions about motivation in the final weeks of the campaign. Club insiders, national outlets and fan groups all feature in the narrative that has followed Isak since the contract reversal.
Arsenal
Arteta Signals Arsenal Are Still in the Market After Vinícius Júnior Miss
Arteta says Arsenal are still “trying” to add elite players after missing out on Vinícius Júnior.
Mikel Arteta has made clear that Arsenal are still searching for top-level additions after missing out on Vinícius Júnior from Real Madrid.
The Arsenal manager said the club are “trying” to strengthen further, even after the arrival of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United gave the squad a timely lift. But for Arteta, the work is not done.
“That’s what we’re trying to do,” Arteta said after Sunday’s defeat to Borussia Dortmund when asked whether fans can expect more new signings.
“It has to be the right player in the market to make us much better. We are very much looking forward to that.”
Arsenal remain in a difficult position as the summer window moves towards its final weeks. They have pursued several targets openly, including Rogers and Vinícius Jr., yet the club are still not close to completing another deal.
A left winger continues to be a key priority. The departure of Leandro Trossard to Beşiktaş was balanced by the arrival of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, but Arsenal still appear to want a higher-level option in that area. An upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli would, in the view of the club, raise the side to another level.
Barcola is still available, although he is expected to be extremely expensive. Other possible options, including AC Milan’s Rafael Leão and Athletic Club’s Nico Williams, are also mentioned as players who may yet be available.
Defensive reinforcements are also under consideration. Arteta has already said it will be some time before William Saliba returns from a back injury, while Jurriën Timber is dealing with a groin problem and will miss the start of the season.
Ezri Konsa is understood to sit high on Arsenal’s shortlist. The Guardian reported that an opening bid has already been turned down, with Villa standing firm at $81 million (£60 million).
Arsenal
The Premier League’s Record Transfer Fees, Ranked
A rundown of the Premier League’s biggest transfer fees, from costly gambles to record-breaking moves.
Premier League spending has long been extravagant, but the numbers have become even more striking over the past decade. The competition’s traditional heavyweights continue to set the pace, using their financial strength to compete for the game’s biggest names year after year.
Here is a look at the 10 highest transfer fees in Premier League history, including add-ons.
Chelsea twice featured prominently in Romelu Lukaku’s career arc, first signing him from Anderlecht in 2011 and later bringing him back from Inter for just under £100 million. That second move proved costly in every sense. Lukaku had been prolific for Inter, helping them to the Serie A title in 2020–21, but he could not reproduce that level in west London. After only one full season, he was loaned out and later sold, with his Premier League return yielding eight goals.
July 2026 brought Sandro Tonali into Tottenham Hotspur’s record books after a move from Newcastle United. His rise had been well established at St James’ Park, especially after returning from a 10-month gambling ban in August 2024. Tonali helped Newcastle back into the Champions League and played a major role in ending their long wait for silverware with the Carabao Cup title.
Jack Grealish arrived at Manchester City for £100 million in 2021 and remained influential despite never fully hitting the levels many expected. Declan Rice’s £105 million transfer to Arsenal drew attention at the time, yet he has justified the fee through his all-round midfield impact, particularly as Arsenal reached the title in 2025–26.
Enzo Fernández’s £106 million move to Chelsea has brought mixed reaction, though his quality has surfaced in difficult circumstances. Moisés Caicedo followed at £115 million including add-ons after an outstanding season with Brighton & Hove Albion, and has since re-established himself among the division’s leading midfielders.
Elliot Anderson’s value surged from his £35 million move to Nottingham Forest, before Manchester City made him their club-record signing at £116 million. Liverpool’s arrival of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen was then the record, but his first season at Anfield was slow, even if he still produced 15 goal involvements and signs of promise.
Liverpool
Kevin Keegan dies aged 75 after cancer diagnosis
Kevin Keegan has died at 75 after cancer, with tributes from Newcastle.
Former England manager Kevin Keegan has died at the age of 75, seven months after he disclosed that he had cancer.
His family said he was with his wife and daughters in his final moments. They described him as a much loved husband, father and grandfather, and thanked his medical team for their support. The family also asked for privacy during what they called a hugely difficult time.
Keegan’s diagnosis was confirmed by his family in January, when they said scans had detected cancer before an operation on an injury caused in a car accident. In June, he revealed that the illness had reached Stage IV.
He is most closely associated with Liverpool, where he played between 1971 and 1977 and won three First Division titles and the 1976-77 European Cup. Those years secured his place in the club’s history.
Keegan also became a major figure at Newcastle, where he later ended his playing career in 1984 before returning eight years later as manager. He went on to have spells with Fulham, the England national team and Manchester City, before coming back to Newcastle again in 2008.
His individual honours included back-to-back Ballons d’Or in 1978 and 1979, making him one of seven men to achieve the feat.
Newcastle paid tribute with a lengthy statement, saying: “We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan, one of the most iconic, influential and deeply loved figures in our club’s history,” Newcastle said. “Kevin was more than a legendary footballer and manager. He was the beating heart of Newcastle United for generations of supporters.
“As a player, he brought world-class talent, ambition and belief to St. James’ Park, helping to transform perceptions of what Newcastle United could be.
“As a manager, he ignited our city. Kevin gave supporters hope and pride, and led a team whose style, spirit and passion captured the imagination of football fans around the world. He was so much more than an Entertainer.
“Above all that, Kevin forged an extraordinary bond with Newcastle, built on the roots of his father, Joe. He understood our people. He embraced the North East with a passion that was genuine and unwavering, and in return, he earned his rightful place in the hearts of millions.
“Kevin’s impact will not be measured by appearances or results. It will live on in the memories he created with club and country, the dreams he inspired wherever he went, and the generations of supporters around the world who fell in love with football because of him.
“At this profoundly sad time, we send our love and deepest sympathy to Kevin’s wife Jean, his family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him.”
