Liverpool’s record-breaking move for Alexander Isak has included an unusual twist, with Newcastle United confirming that part of the transfer package involves a 'solidarity payment' – a system designed to reward the clubs who developed the striker during his formative years.
The Reds agreed a staggering £125million deal to bring Isak to Anfield in the early hours of Monday morning.
Yet within that fee, around £5m has been earmarked not for Newcastle, but for the clubs that shaped Isak between the ages of 12 and 23.
The FIFA solidarity mechanism is designed to ensure that youth academies and smaller clubs are rewarded when a player they helped nurture secures a major transfer later in their career.
Liverpool’s record-breaking move for Alexander Isak has included an unusual twist, with Newcastle United confirming that part of the transfer package involves a 'solidarity payment' – a system designed to reward the clubs who developed the striker during his formative years
| PAIn this case, AIK – Isak’s boyhood club in Sweden – will receive a share of the pot, along with Willem II of the Netherlands, Borussia Dortmund in Germany and Real Sociedad in Spain.
Even Newcastle themselves, who signed him at 22, could be entitled to a portion.
For Isak, the fee marks another dramatic step in a career that has already taken him across some of Europe’s biggest leagues.
He broke through at AIK in Stockholm before Borussia Dortmund snapped him up as a teenager.
JUST IN: Alexander Isak set for Liverpool transfer on deadline day with British-record £125m deal agreed
Game time was limited in Germany, leading to a loan at Willem II, where his goalscoring instincts began to flourish.
His big breakthrough came after joining Real Sociedad in 2019, where he scored 44 goals in three seasons.
That form persuaded Newcastle to pay £63m for him in 2022, a then club-record signing.
He quickly became a talisman at St James’ Park, scoring 62 times in just 109 appearances.
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Eddie Howe had been desperate to keep Alexander Isak out of Liverpool's clutches before a fee was agreed
| PaLast season alone he netted 23 goals in 32 Premier League matches, one of the highest tallies in the division.
Despite that prolific form, the 25-year-old’s relationship with Newcastle soured this summer after he pushed for a move to Anfield.
Liverpool had an initial bid of £110m rejected in August, but Newcastle eventually relented after completing a big-money signing of their own, Stuttgart’s Nick Woltemade, to fill the void.
For Liverpool, the arrival of Isak represents a major statement of intent.
Arne Slot has already overseen a refresh in midfield over the past year, but Isak is seen as the striker to spearhead their next era of success.
Fans will hope he can replicate his ruthless finishing in red, particularly as the club look to challenge for the Premier League title and go deep in the Champions League.
Speaking over the weekend, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was asked about Isak.
When asked about his preference for the forward, he replied: "Of course I have a preference.
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Alexander Isak became a key player for Newcastle during his time at St James' Park
| PA“But ultimately you have got to look at all the information. I have a footballing preference but then you have to take everything else into account. You can’t just be oblivious to things that have happened.
“But I have no control over it. That’s for other people to decide. I’m not in control of those discussions. I’m focusing on trying to bring new players into the team.”