“Newcastle United can announce the sale of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a significant British record transfer fee. The Sweden international joined the Magpies from Real Sociedad in 2022 and made 109 appearances in all competitions.” This was Newcastle’s curt announcement that the Swedish player had left the club following an ugly saga that dominated the headlines in the summer transfer window. No ‘good luck’, no ‘all the best’ with the announcement perfectly summing up how strained the relationship between the player and the club in the last three months.
Liverpool might have gobbled up their man for £125 million but risk upsetting the applecart. They already have a £79 million striker in Hugo Ekitike, who has started his Merseyside career with two goals and an assist in the three games. The arrival of another No.9 in Isak might just result in a bit of a reshuffle in the starting lineup.
The simple solution for manager Arne Slot would be to play both Isak and Ekitike up front and Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo in both wings in a 4-4-2 formation but the Dutch tactician prefers the 4-3-3 or the 4-2-3-1 system which he used to tremendous effect last season, helping Liverpool win the title and is unlikely to change it.
Isak is a surefire first choice strike option for Liverpool, having scored 27 goals in all competitions last season. But surely spending so much on Ekitike just to have him as a back-up isn’t in Liverpool’s plans. So, what seems to be the solution? It might turn out that Ekitike is shifted to the left and will play matches rotating with Cody Gakpo.
Isak in numbers 🔢 pic.twitter.com/kMR11Op959
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 1, 2025
However, one factor that could be in Ekitike’s favour in challenging Isak to the No.9 role is the Swedish striker’s fitness record. Isak has missed a lot of matches for the Magpies due to injuries which will likely open the door for Ekitike to feature in his best position in select matches with Liverpool expected to manage the ex-Newcastle man’s workload as they gun for the Premier League, the Champions League as well as the domestic cups.
Potential to backfire
The aforementioned tweaks in formation might look ideal on paper but Slot must keep in account the players’ morale as well. While Isak’s arrival gives Liverpool a truly world class striking option, moving Ekitike from his preferred No.9 position might not sit well with the player who has looked comfortable in that role. The Frenchman has occasionally played in the left wing for Eintracht Frankfurt but he is not an out and out winger like Gakpo. So how he copes with the new position remains to be seen.
Isak is a surefire first choice strike option for Liverpool, having scored 27 goals in all competitions last season. (Photo: Liverpool FC)
While Liverpool look to be a well-oiled machine on the pitch, the players who comprise the team clearly get along well with each other off it. But with so many big money signings coming into the unit this season, Slot will have to be at his best as a man manager in order to keep the egos in check.
Besides, we have seen players wilt under the pressure of their humongous price tags. Examples like Neymar, who underwhelmed in his PSG and Al Hilal stints after coming from Barcelona, as well as Antoine Griezmann and Philip Coutinho’s dismal seasons with the Catalans, are strewn in footballing history and often spoken about in hushed tones.
He’s here. pic.twitter.com/FMjon0wXRt
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 1, 2025
After all the drama between Newcastle and Isak, the player will have to hit the ground running at Anfield. If not, criticism will mount, not only from disgruntled Magpies fans but also from experts who will likely point out that paying such an exorbitant amount for the player was not ‘worth it’. Isak, who has not played a minute of professional football since May 25, will not find it easy adjusting to a new team and will probably need a few matches to reclaim speed.
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But the patience of the footballing world nowadays is at an all-time low as exemplified by Bayer Leverkusen sacking manager Erik Ten Hag after just 3 matches even after selling all of their best players. Isak with such a hefty price tag, will be under the scanner as soon as he sets foot on the field as a Liverpool player. If he has the mental fortitude to weather the storm and replicate the form that made him one of the most sought out strikers in the world, he’ll survive. If not, he’ll turn out into those ‘what if’ tales, lost in the abyss of football irrelevance.
