Two PL giants rule themselves OUT of the race for Alexander Isak

Chelsea and Manchester United have ruled out a move for unsettled Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, who has been left out of their pre-season tour of the Far East after saying he wants to explore a move away.

World champions Chelsea have been linked with Isak after Mail Sport’s Craig Hope broke the news that Isak is willing to explore a move elsewhere.

The Blues hierarchy are happy with their current set-up, that includes Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson, as well as the versatile Joao Pedro as an option up front.

The internal suspicion is that their name is being used to drive up a price on the 25-year-old striker.

Manager Enzo Maresca plans to lean on rotation in the coming season, especially for managing workloads after their last lengthy campaign, and Chelsea are understood to be unappreciative of them being linked with players they are not actively pursuing for the purpose of creating an auction.

Instead, Chelsea are focusing on landing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig and Jorrel Hero from Ajax currently, while they realise there is a need to accelerate their outgoings.

Jackson is expected to stay at Stamford Bridge unless a bid significant enough to turn his and their heads is logged before the transfer window closes.

He has been linked with Manchester United but as previously reported by Mail Sport, Chelsea believe he is a potential £100million player.

Jackson himself is ready to fight for his place alongside Delap and Joao Pedro, after the two new signings impressed at the Club World Cup in the United States.

Man United have currently ruled out a move for Isak and number of other big-money options including Jackson and Benjamin Sesko.

With the Sweden striker valued at an astronomical £150million, United are unable to compete with a potential bid from Liverpool and other Premier League rivals after spending more than £130m on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha this summer, even though they are keen to sign a new centre-forward.

Jackson is also out of United’s reach after being valued at between £80-100m by Chelsea, although there still a possibility that a swap deal with Alejandro Garnacho could be explored.

Garnacho has been training away from the first-team squad at Carrington in pre-season after being told to find a new club by head coach Ruben Amorim.

Sesko is available for closer to £60m after Arsenal moved for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres ahead of the RB Leipzig striker, but sources have indicated that he would be too expensive for United as well.

Ollie Watkins is one option that has been considered, but he would stretch the budget and Aston Villa are understood to have told United that he is not for sale anyway.

It means that Amorim is running out of options after it emerged earlier this week that United are coming to terms with the fact they could kick off the new season against Arsenal next month without a new striker.