Newcastle United and PIF are ready to offer one of their stars a lucrative new contract to keep him on Tyneside, after it emerged that his wages were set to be reduced automatically this summer.
Newcastle miss out on Champions League
After a strong first full season under Eddie Howe, Newcastle have struggled much more this season in both the Premier League and domestic cups.
There have been some very impressive outings at St James' Park in particular, but overall injuries have seen the squad decimated and they look set to miss out on their goal of Champions League football next season.
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As it stands, they sit sixth, sixteen points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with a total of 18 points left for Howe's side to possibly pick up. Though it is not yet mathematically impossible for Newcastle to be in Europe's elite competition, it will be the next time Unai Emery's side pick up three points, which could be as soon as this weekend.
They are in a fight even to land European football of any sort next season too; though in a Europa League position as it stands, they are above Manchester United only on goal difference and Chelsea can join the pair on 50 points should they win their game in hand against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, West Ham are also in with an outside shout, though they sit two points behind the Magpies having played two games more and appear to be in freefall under David Moyes with just one win in their last five Premier League outings.
But missing out on Champions League football is nonetheless set to have a knock-on effect on Tyneside amid financial fair play concerns.
Isak in line for new deal
That comes with star striker Alexander Isak set for an automatic wage reduction as a result of missing out on a top-four spot. The Swedish striker has become a talismanic figure at St James' Park, scoring 17 times in the Premier League this season and dragging Newcastle out of midtable back towards the European spots.
Alexander Isak in the Premier League 23/24
Appearances
24
Goals
17
xG
15.9
Shots on target per 90
1.43
Minutes per goal
104
Currently under contract until 2028, he will see his wages docked by as much as 20% according to a report by TBRFootball, which would equate to around £24,000 per week lost.
As a result, Newcastle are now set to offer the striker fresh terms in a bid to ward off growing interest from Premier League rivals including Arsenal, who are on the hunt for a striker this summer and were keen to sign Isak during his time at Real Sociedad.
Indeed, they are ready to offer him the chance to become one of the club's highest earners, on a par with fellow star Bruno Guimaraes. It would see him handed a massive £40,000 per week increase on his current terms, and £64,000 on the terms he will be set to receive without Champions League football.
Should they manage to tie him down, it would be perhaps the club's biggest statement yet that they are here to stay.