Transfer news live: Arsenal’s Eze bid, Man Utd close on Sesko, Liverpool given boost for Isak move

Welcome to The Independent’s transfer blog.

We’ll have all the latest comings and goings from the Premier League and more throughout the day.

Newcastle striker Alexander Isak was told he must train away from the Newcastle squad as uncertainty over his future continues.

The 25-year-old Sweden international was told to report for training on Wednesday but only after the rest of the squad had left.

Isak did not travel with his team-mates on their pre-season trip to Singapore and South Korea, ostensibly because of a minor thigh injury, after Liverpool, who subsequently tabled a £110million bid for him, let it be known they remained interested in acquiring his services.

Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal to sell Darwin Nunez to Saudi Pro-League side Al-Hilal for an initial £46.2m.

Nunez also attracted interest from AC Milan but there were doubts if the Serie A side could meet Liverpool’s asking price, whereas Al-Hilal are willing to pay a fee that could rise to £56.6m, including add-ons.

More from senior football writer Richard Jolly:

Guardiola left Grealish out of his selection for the recent Club World Cup after coming to a mutual agreement with the winger that he needed a break.

It is quite the statement to say that, amid a £269m outlay to bring in players with the quality of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool’s most exciting prospect this season comes in the form of a developing teenage striker.

Yet that is the building hype concerning 16-year-old forward Rio Ngumoha and the quality his possesses at such a young age. Then again, hype is one thing but performing on the pitch is another and in this arena Ngumoha is showing why football fans are getting excited about his future.

On Monday 4 August, Liverpool played two pre-season games against Athletic Bilbao at Anfield. The games had different starting XIs with a mix of senior players and potential first team starters combining with fringe members of the squad in order to give Arne Slot a better feel for how his players are coping ahead of the start of the new season.

Anfield got its first glimpse of what the best part of £300m gets you. Quite a lot, it seems. Which, given the numbers involved, it really should. But the Anfield bows of five lavish arrivals offered an insight into Arne Slot’s remodelled Liverpool. The goals came from the old, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo scoring to defeat Athletic Club 3-2, the intrigue from the new.

Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike made Anfield bows, albeit in an unofficial outing and after each has featured further afield in preseason. Even as the £110m bid for Alexander Isak indicated Liverpool did not necessarily intend their business to stop with those five, it is half a team. Jurgen Klopp called the side he left Liverpool 2.0. Perhaps this is 2.0 for Slot’s Liverpool, significantly different to the title-winning outfit.

Liverpool have sold midfielder Tyler Morton to Lyon for £15m, meaning they have brought in almost £150m in transfers this summer.

The England Under-21 international, who made 14 first-team appearances for Liverpool, joined the Ligue Un club after passing a medical.

Liverpool also have a 20 percent sell-on clause for Morton if the 22-year-old, who helped England win the European Under-21 Championships in June, continues to improve.

City surrendered the crown they won in the previous four seasons to Liverpool during an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign.

Defender Stones believes lessons have been learned and has detected a strong desire to put things right since the players have reported for pre-season training.

Having ended their trophy drought with Carabao Cup success last season, Newcastle United now have work to do in the transfer market.

With a return to the Champions League, the Magpies need to strengthen their squad to compete at the highest level, but despite boss Eddie Howe making it known that he is looking to work fast this summer, Newcastle have missed out on several of their top targets so far.

Newcastle have been without any major recruits over the past two seasons due to PSR rules, and started the summer with a big move for Anthony Elanga – with the Nottingham Forest winger joining in a deal worth £55m – but have been thwarted in attempts to sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and James Trafford since then too.

And it means that there are a big three weeks ahead for the Magpies ahead of the start of the 2025/26 season and the transfer deadline on 1 September, with the club needing to strengthen in several key positions.

Here’s everything you need to know about Newcastle United’s summer transfer plans:

Newcastle have made an offer of €30m for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw, according to Sky in Germany.

Sources in Italy say the first bid for the 23-year-old has been rejected though, and it is not known whether the Magpies will return for the defender.