Newcastle United have rejected a first bid from Liverpool for Alexander Isak that falls well below their £150m valuation as the player continues to seek a move away from St James’ Park.

The Magpies had expected a bid from Liverpool this week and continue to insist the striker is not for sale.

But clearly an official offer – understood to be well over £100m but under the £120m mark that had been communicated in informal talks last month – ramps things up a notch.

Isak’s preference is clearly to leave Newcastle this summer and he has been a notable absence from their tour of the Far East, which concludes on Sunday with a game against Tottenham Hotspur.

He is currently training at his former club Real Sociedad along with his own private fitness team and Newcastle have stayed tight-lipped

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