Liverpool move for Alexander Isak raises stakes for Arsenal amid Eberechi Eze chase | OneFootball

Prospect of Liverpool landing Isak should send shivers through Arsenal and their title rivals

Target: Arsenal have held initial talks with Crystal Palace over a deal for Eze Eberechi

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By the end of June, the Reds had wrapped up a club-record £116million deal for Florian Wirtz, secured Jeremie Frimpong as a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, and signed Milos Kerkez for £40m.

Liverpool want to take their summer spending past £500m with their move for Alexander Isak

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Hugo Ekitike has since joined and it means that Liverpool have spent close to £300m this summer before returning from their tour to Asia.

Ominously for their title rivals, the spree does not appear to be over.

A new centre-back remains on the wishlist. Most notably, Liverpool are in pole position to sign Alexander Isak after the striker informed Newcastle he wants to leave.

Isak moving to Anfield would be a painful sight for Arsenal in particular, who have held long-term interest in the forward.

Whether Ekitike and Wirtz will have an instant impact is up for debate, but Isak is as close to a banker as you could find.

The Swede’s signing would raise the stakes in this season’s title race, adding further firepower to a Liverpool side that scored at least 14 more league goals than any other club last season.

Liverpool did not win any of their last four matches and still finished ten points clear of Arsenal in second.

It is therefore a huge statement of intent to back that up with a summer of spending that could top £500m by September 1, and it leaves them as favourites to defend their crown.

Arsenal have been active themselves, with Viktor Gyokeres’ move from Sporting finally ending their striker search.

Arsenal have signed Viktor Gyokeres this summer

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Noni Madueke has been added to the ranks, too, but if Isak did sign for Liverpool, the conclusion looking at the two squads would be that Arne Slot’s side are far better-equipped in attack.

Arsenal fans will be placing plenty of faith in the club tempting Eberechi Eze from south to north London to redress the balance.

The hope for Arsenal, Manchester City and all those with title ambitions will be that Liverpool’s new faces take time to settle.

There are Premier League managers with worse problems than how to fit Mohamed Salah, Ekitike, Wirtz and Isak into the same side, but it would be a dilemma nonetheless for Slot.

Liverpool will surely get stronger as the season goes on and so a fast start is imperative for their rivals.

That, though, will be a tall order for Arsenal. In their first six matches of the season, the Gunners face Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle away from home, as well as Manchester City at the Emirates.

The trip to Anfield on August 31 in the third match of the campaign feels an important one. For Liverpool, a first chance to show they are armed strongly enough in attack to outgun their nearest challengers and the league’s best defence.

Arsenal, and in particular Gyokeres, have the chance to prove they are up for the fight.

The Gunners do not need to go goal-for-goal with Liverpool over the season. Mikel Arteta’s side play in a highly-structured manner and have a world-class defence to fall back on.

The problem for Arsenal is Slot brought a more controlled approach to Liverpool last season and still provided the platform for Salah to have his best goal-scoring campaign in eight years.

With two of Europe’s brightest attacking talents added to the ranks and Isak potentially to follow, Liverpool have laid down a marker before a ball has been kicked.