LONDON (AP) — European soccer’s summer transfer window was closing Monday with most focus on the big-spending Premier League, with Alexander Isak, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Emi Martinez potentially clinching high-profile moves on deadline day.
A record single-window spend of 2.7 billion pounds ($3.65 billion) by England’s top-flight clubs could be supercharged if Liverpool finally secures the signing of Isak after a summer-long pursuit of the Newcastle striker.
British media has reported that Liverpool has reached agreement with Newcastle to buy Isak for 125 million pounds ($170 million) – which would be a British-record fee – ahead of him taking a medical examination. Neither club has officially commented on the potential deal.
Liverpool has already spent nearly 300 million pounds ($400 million) in this transfer window – more than any other team in Europe — to revamp its team, signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez among others.
Two of the world’s top goalkeepers might be on the move, too.
Donnarumma hasn’t played for Paris Saint-Germain this season and reports have linked the Italy international with a transfer to Manchester City.
Martinez, Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalie, was left out of Aston Villa’s team at the weekend and could also be set to leave.
Most Premier League clubs appear to be still in the market for players in what has been one of the most chaotic transfer windows in history. Among them is Newcastle, which will likely need further backup to replace Isak if he departs. On Saturday Germany striker Nick Woltemade became Newcastle’s record signing after joining from Stuttgart for a reported fee that could total 69 million pounds ($93 million).
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The Associated Press
