Newcastle set to smash club transfer record on Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak

Newcastle United look set to smash the club transfer record as they close in on the signing of Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak.

The Premier League club are widely reported to have almost reached agreement with Sociedad over a deal thought to be worth in the region of £58 million ($68.4m) for the 22-year-old Swede.

This would comfortably overtake the Tyneside club's previous record of the £40m they paid Hoffenheim for Joelinton and Lyon to secure the services of Bruno Guimaraes in January.

Isak joined the La Liga club in 2019 from Borussia Dortmund and has scored 44 goals in 132 games, with his strike on Sunday their only goal in the 4-1 home thrashing by Barcelona.

He also has nine goals in 37 caps for Sweden, the first of which came when he was just 17 and made him his country's youngest goalscorer.

His arrival would be the clearest example yet of Newcastle's newfound spending power since they were taken over by a Saudi Arabian-led consortium last year.

In January, Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Dan Burn, Matty Targett and Guimaraes were all brought in as the club looked to drag themselves out of the relegation zone.

NEWCASTLE RATINGS: Nick Pope - 8, It’s not often you’ll see a goalkeeper get this score after conceding three, but Pope made a plethora of impressive saves and interventions, including tipping Erling Haaland’s effort on to the post and stealing the ball from Ilkay Gundogan’s toes.

AFP

Under the guidance of manager Eddie Howe, they survived in style, with only Liverpool (51) Manchester City (43), and Tottenham Hotspur (41) acquiring more than their 38 points after the new year – and would finish the season in 11th place.

During the summer, Targett joined on a permanent deal while England goalkeeper Nick