Newcastle working on double deal for Sesko and Wissa after Isak bombshell?

Towards the end of last season, Eddie Howe expressed his desire for Newcastle United to act quickly and decisively in the summer transfer window.

And weeks later, with just one first team signing brought in, the club looks to have finally been forced to make a move following on from Alexander Isak showing his desire to leave the club.

It’s unfortunately been something so very predictable after weeks of relative inactivity and ‘nearly’ moves, so just how will the club respond?

Well, breaking news regarding one of Europe’s most in-demand players could give an indication as to who we’re going for next…

Star striker Sesko could be solution for Newcastle

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, we are reportedly exploring a move for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, someone who we’ve long held interest in.

Should Isak depart this summer, Ornstein states that the Slovenian is currently considered a top target, but that it would be a complex, expensive deal to complete.

Contracted to RB Leipzig until 2029, the 22-year-old is said to have a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with the Bundesliga club that he is free to depart should a bid of around £65m were to come in from a club with ‘the right project’.

With Arsenal set to sign Viktor Gyökeres, and Manchester United rebuked by Aston Villa regarding Ollie Watkins, it does certainly seem that ourselves and the Red Devils are the frontrunners to sign the forward this summer.

Will him and Wissa be enough to replace Isak?

Should Isak leave St James’ Park this window, we can expect the club to demand nothing less than £120-130m, having previously quoted clubs £150m to even open discussions.

Judging by the numbers doing the rounds in the media this week, we could afford to sell Isak, and buy the pair of Sesko and Yoane Wissa for around £100m, and still have money left over.

Of course, Isak’s relative youth and strong Premier League goalscoring experience is something that money can’t buy. Sesko would likely need time to adjust to the Premier League, and the idea of spending £35m on a soon-to-be-29-year-old Wissa has been rebuked by many fans as an overpayment.

It’s something that the club should have done all it can to avoid, but whoever we sign to replace or play alongside Isak this summer will undoubtedly feel like a panic buy.

Signing a player of such high-regard and potential as Sesko is a true statement signing, but at the expense of the club’s top scorer for the past two seasons will no doubt divide the fanbase in a way we’ve not seen since the takeover happened.