On Tuesday morning, widespread reports claimed the Swede is determined never to feature for Newcastle United again, pushing to complete a transfer to Liverpool, after the Reds’ initial £110m bid was turned down.

Even if Isak fails to secure his switch to Merseyside, Eddie Howe must surely start preparing for a future without his main scorer and talisman, so have Newcastle identified a fresh forward option?

This summer alone, Newcastle have chased several attackers, only to watch them join Premier League rivals instead, including João Pedro, Liam Delap, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško.

From blockbuster deals to risky transfers and high-profile disappointments — this is the home of transfer insight at Football FanCast.

They also had a £25m proposal for Yoane Wissa knocked back by Brentford, while being offered Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea, though the Blues’ £80m valuation is too steep.

Perhaps greater success could come from exploring overseas markets, just as with centre-back Malick Thiaw, who arrived from AC Milan for £35m.

According to French outlet L’Équipe, Newcastle are “in talks” with Stade Rennais over signing forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, with Brentford also keeping tabs.

Kalimuendo has reportedly rejected a move to newly-promoted Leeds United this summer, but Rennes boss Habib Beye, once a Newcastle player himself, is preparing for a “major exit”.

French sources suggest the 23-year-old’s price tag is €30m (around £26m), sparking speculation he could trade Brittany for the North East.

Born in Suresnes, near Paris, Kalimuendo joined PSG’s academy at ten, excelling in youth ranks but managing just five senior appearances, totalling 167 minutes, for the first team.

Two loan stints at Lens saw him net 21 goals in 65 matches before leaving PSG permanently in 2022 for Rennes in a €25m (about £21.5m) deal, the priciest academy graduate sale in PSG history at that time.

That investment paid off, with Kalimuendo recording 40 goals and 14 assists in 112 outings, similar to Isak’s 44 goals and eight assists in 132 matches for Real Sociedad.

Last season, Kalimuendo netted 17 Ligue 1 goals, behind only Ousmane Dembélé and Mason Greenwood, all from inside the penalty area, illustrating his style. Isak hit 17 league goals in his penultimate year at Sociedad.

Kalimuendo exceeded his expected goals tally by over three, missing just six Opta-defined big chances — remarkably low for a player with his goal return.

For comparison, Dembélé missed 17, while Emanuel Emegha of Strasbourg topped Ligue 1 with 25. Isak, meanwhile, missed 18 in last season’s Premier League.

His Rennes form earned him France youth caps, Olympic silver last summer on home soil, and a goal against New Zealand at Stade Vélodrome, after playing in the U21 Euros the year before.

Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig has called him “prolific”, with 61 senior goals before turning 24.

If Newcastle secure him for just £26m, fans on Tyneside may well be saying “Alexander who?” by the close of the transfer window