Data Shows Liverpool Should Look Beyond Alexander Isak and Sign Bundesliga Star Instead | OneFootball

Alexander Isak – The Big Gamble Liverpool Should Not Take

It seems that at the moment the Swedish ace is the player every supporter wants to see at Anfield next season to replace Darwin Nunez.

On paper, it makes sense Isak is one of the best players in the Premier League and he is a pure goal-scorer.

But delving into the numbers, Newcastle are expected to demand anywhere between £120m to £150m for his services.

On top of that, Isak has struggled with constant niggling injury problems. He’s already missed nine games for club and country this season due to injuries and previously missed 30 games for club and country during his last two seasons.

On average, that works out to around 15 games out injured per season which he is on course to hit in the current campaign as well.

Add those concerns and his massive asking price and it might make more sense for Liverpool to search elsewhere.

Best Isak Alternative – Bundesliga Star Ekitike

This could see Liverpool turn their attention towards Hugo Ekitike, who is currently catching the eye for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

The club have been tracking Ekitike for a while. Liverpool were interested in him when he broke onto the scene as a teenager in Ligue 1 while at Reims.

And right now he’s making a great case to be the perfect candidate for Arne Slot’s side.

First of all, Ekitike is a goal threat. In the Bundesliga this season, only Harry Kane has a higher xG (16.3) than the Frenchman (16.2).

His 16.67% goal conversion can be improved but it’s important to note that Ekitike is still young and this area of a striker’s game often develops at a later age when they mature.

Take Isak as an example. At the same age as Ekitike, while he was playing in La Liga for Real Sociedad, he had a goal conversion rate of just 8.33% during the 2021/22 campaign prior to his move to the Premier League, where he’s not averaging a 29.39% goal conversion rate.

What will appeal to Liverpool is that he’s getting into the right areas and he’s not just finding himself in goal-scoring opportunities but also creating them as well.

This is key because Arne Slot has spoken about how he wants his no.9 to be both a facilitator and a creator as well.

In comparison to Isak (0.86 per 90), Ekitike has a much higher xG and xA combined (1.02 per 90).

So on paper, the Frankfurt forward appears to be more of an offensive threat and considering he is younger and more affordable, Liverpool will see this as more value for money.

Photo: IMAGO

Away From Goal-Scoring

Ekitike isn’t just a finisher, though. He’s a very well-rounded player who puts in a lot of work off the ball.

Among forwards, he has the fifth highest top speed (35.53km/h) in the Bundesliga and he uses his athletic ability to devastating effect consistently pressing his opponents. On average, he covers more than 11km per 90 minutes spent on the pitch for Frankfurt.

He wins more than 0.42 tackles and interceptions per 90 than Isak while averaging 1.04 more recoveries per 90 as well.

The Frenchman’s off the ball work is therefore just a little bit better than the Swede’s and again this marginal difference juxtaposed by the gargantuan divergence in price makes Ekitike the better option.

This is before we start to talk about his technical ability as well. Isak is more of a typical no.9 who likes to run in behind defences. Isak, on the other hand, can do both and he thrives running at defences as well.

He averages more than two successful take-ons per 90, 0.54 more than Isak while also averaging 3.06 progressive carries and and 1.63 carries into the opposition’s penalty area.

Ekitike is very efficient at running at defenders and taking them on in one vs one situations. He’s capable of drifting out wide and drawing defenders away to create spaces for Frankfurt’s other attackers.

This could work really well at Liverpool in a line-up with Dominik Szoboszlai or Mohamed Salah, who would thrive playing alongside the Frenchman.

Ekitike Makes More Sense

While the dream is Isak for many people and it would be great to see a marquee signing made by the Reds at last.

Just like Liverpool decided back in the summer of 2023 to not sign Jude Bellingham for the huge amounts Borussia Dortmund wanted for him, and instead bring in Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, it would make sense for the Reds to do the same.

Ekitike is a more cost-effective alternative. His arrival would also allow Liverpool to invest into the rest of Slot’s squad and build a really strong team.

Given that Ekitike’s numbers are not too dissimilar to Isak’s and the data suggests he would be an ideal fit for Slot, this move simply makes sense.