Liverpool’s planned bid for Alexander Isak comes with an expectation that he will be positioned towards the very top of their wage hierarchy - in a move that underlines just how central they see him to the next phase of their attack.
Personal terms have been a key component in recent days, with belief now growing that there is a level of satisfaction over where Isak sits in the hierarchy.
He is not on elite money at Newcastle United and that is one of the reasons Liverpool have been able to get their foot in the door.
Sources have indicated that he has been looking to compete at the very top of Liverpool’s wage structure - and that means an incredible pay rise is on the cards if he does complete his proposed switch to Anfield.
In line with becoming a British transfer record fee, Isak’s representatives have driven for him to be recognised as such within the squad.
Top earner Mohamed Salah picks up close to £400,000-a-week while Virgil Van Dijk is close behind on over £350,000-a-week.
Isak’s status should be reflected by seeing him land a deal close to the terms of those two star names - with talks believed to have led towards a figure of £250,000-300,000-a-week being discussed, depending on bonuses.
It would put him ahead of recent signings Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, who are thought to earn close to £200,000-a-week. But Isak is already a proven Premier League star.
At Newcastle he has been frustrated by the club’s refusal to recognise his worth.
They have labelled him as one of the top strikers in the world yet his current contract is around £110,000-a-week.
It might now be that Isak gets a rise of over 150 percent in order to make the switch to join the Premier League champions.
Clearer details of Isak’s precise terms are expected to emerge very soon, as Liverpool also plot a transfer fee in the region of £125million to sign him from Newcastle before the start of the new season.