Liverpool pushing to signal “world-class” £120k-p/w ST

Liverpool gained the Premier League final season, ending ten factors forward of second-place Arsenal. Few gave Arne Slot an opportunity to determine himself as a title-race outlier, however he took the division by storm.

And he is been rewarded in the summertime switch market, with FSG green-lighting bold strikes for Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, with the latter signing from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record £116m.

Navigating the switch market has change into a much more delicate matter for Liverpool after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.

However Liverpool’s ahead curiosity dates again to the beginning of 2025, with Darwin Nunez transfer-listed whereas the Reds pursued the Premier League title.

Nunez remains to be set to depart Liverpool, with the Saudi Professional League’s Al-Hilal among the many frontrunners, and FSG have labored to signal a alternative.

Whereas nothing’s set in stone, it appears to be like like that alternative goes to be Hugo Ekitike.

The newest on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool

Liverpool seem to have gained the race for Ekitike, with the 23-year-old submitting a switch request as he appears to be like to inch a transfer to Merseyside nearer.

Newcastle United had been additionally within the combine, however have dropped out following the Reds’ concrete developments.

Ekitike’s is an unrefined ability set, however with a couple of tweaks right here and there, he may show a surprising signing for Slot’s trigger. In spite of everything, expertise scout Jacek Kulig remarked that he “may undoubtedly attain world-class striker ranges“.

With 22 targets and 12 assists to his title throughout the 2024/25 marketing campaign, such a declare actually appears to have some substance.

On Friday morning, Sport BILD reported that Ekitike had linked again up with Frankfurt for coaching and, as issues stand, is slated to hitch his teammates on their pre-season tour in the USA.

The Reds are closing in on their quarry, however they’ve one other goal of their sights, too. You would possibly even say he is an improve on the French ahead.

Liverpool lining up one other striker

In keeping with switch insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are nonetheless pushing to land Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, despite their push for Ekitike’s signature and certainly the rebuffed formal strategy for the Sweden striker earlier within the week.

Liverpool had been prepared to place a £120m provide on the desk, however the focus shift to Ekitike in current days speaks of a roadblock between Anfield and St. James’ Park.

Elsewhere, Foot Mercato have revealed that Isak and Newcastle have given Al-Hilal the preliminary inexperienced gentle to begin discussions over a deal that will ship shockwaves by way of the footballing world.

Whereas that is peculiar information, it maybe means that the Isak saga is just not fairly completed for Liverpool this summer season.

Why Liverpool ought to signal Alexander Isak

Time was when Liverpool’s homeowners had been extensively considered being frugal, if efficient with their assets. However who can name FSG misers now? Having forked out a shedload on new signings this summer season, there’s nonetheless extra but to come back.

BBC reporter Sami Mokbel believes that Liverpool’s curiosity in Isak will stay intact whatever the final result of the Ekitike saga. One of many French expertise’s underlying qualities to have piqued Slot’s curiosity is his versatility, with a pointy tactical thoughts and a nimble athleticism making him, as Kulig alluded to, world-class materials.

However Isak’s already there, with pundit Alan Shearer hailing his “world-class” degree. Certainly, there is a case that the Swedish gem’s the best quantity 9 within the recreation proper now, having scored 27 targets and equipped six assists throughout all competitions for the Magpies in 2024/25. Actually, he is essentially the most full, with pundit Ally McCoist saying: “By way of his all-round recreation, he is unstoppable.”

Undoubtedly, Isak would pack a heavier punch than Ekitike, undoubtedly throughout the subsequent marketing campaign or two. Positive, the Frankfurt man has the potential to change into top-of-the-line, however his Swedish counterpart is already there.

Newcastle signed him from Actual Sociedad for what nonetheless stands as a club-record £63m deal, and accidents have been his solely foible.

Instrumental in securing United as a top-end competitor, scoring as they beat Liverpool at Wembley to elevate the Carabao Cup and finish a 70-year trophy drought, he would revolutionise a Liverpool frontline already filled with high-level high quality.

And never only a goalscorer, Isak’s completeness could be noticed by way of his FBref information. The stats-led web site reveals the 25-year-old ranked among the many high 16% of strikers throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues final season for shot-creating actions, the highest 13% for progressive passes, the highest 7% for progressive carries, and the highest 8% for profitable take-ons per 90.

The factor is, Liverpool can’t afford to be so reliant on Mohamed Salah for targets, particularly now that the fitting winger has turned 33. In Isak, Slot would signal a striker with a far superior ball-striking potential than Ekitike; actually, the Swede is extra environment friendly and economical in his efforts, with a conversion fee to be feared and a formidable fee of creativity in addition to.

The £120k-per-week ahead is only one 12 months away from his penultimate 12 months on Tyneside. Then the alarm bells might be screeching down the St. James’ Park hallways. Maybe Newcastle will wish to money in for a reasonably penny whereas they nonetheless can.

Newcastle, for positive, know that Liverpool are prepared to interrupt the British switch document (once more) earlier than summer season’s out. And from a Reds perspective, sporting director Richard Hughes might be doing all he can to realize this, for Isak is the cream of the crop and would definitely arrive as a extra achieved and full participant than Ekitike.