Liverpool are said to have reacted to Newcastle shutting the door on Isak talks by launching a bid for Ekitike, and Fabrizio Romano reports on Thursday morning that they are now ahead of the Magpies in the race to sign the French forward. The Reds expect to sign Ekitike if all hopes of an Isak deal end.

Alexander Isak is blocking out the “noise” around him and looking “second to none” at Newcastle United’s Austrian training camp.That is the verdict of Isak’s compatriot and new club teammate Anthony Elanga,