Can Liverpool Land Isak as Their Next Star Forward? | OneFootball

Can Liverpool Get Alexander Isak?

As Liverpool’s summer rebuild sharpens into focus, the name Alexander Isak remains at the pinnacle of the summer shortlist. With Darwin Núñez edging closer to Napoli and Arne Slot’s new-look system taking shape around Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah, the Swedish striker feels like the missing piece of a world-class trio. Stylish, intelligent, and technically elite, Isak would be the statement signing to usher in Liverpool’s next attacking era and put the boot on the throat of the league.

But while the fit is perfect, the feasibility remains a lingering question. Could Liverpool tempt Newcastle into a sale? Well, this week may have offered the first clue and could lead to a dramatic transfer between the two sides which entertained in last season’s League Cup Final.

Newcastle’s Striker Shuffle

Reports have emerged that Newcastle have submitted a formal bid for Brighton’s João Pedro — a versatile attacker capable of leading the line, but not someone you buy to sit on the bench. The move, on the surface, feels unnecessary with Isak and Callum Wilson already on the books. But the truth is, it makes sense only if one of those two is moving on. Oftentimes when a player of huge substance leaves a club for a huge fee, the selling point will be based around that group being able to replenish before other teams are aware of the newfound riches.

Wilson, 32 and with a patchy injury record, is unlikely to attract a significant fee or long-term suitors and sits perfectly fine as a backup. Isak, on the other hand, is a premium asset: Premier League-proven, highly marketable, and entering his prime. Selling him could bring in upwards of £110 million — a fee that might solve a large chunk of Newcastle’s looming Profit and Sustainability issues.

Despite Saudi backing, Newcastle are still bound by financial rules, and the club’s recent transfer behaviour suggests they’re not immune to sales that can help service overall squad development. A marquee sale this summer seems increasingly likely, and Isak may be the obvious candidate if Pedro is seen as a stylistic replacement.

Photo: IMAGO

A Natural Fit for Arne Slot

Should Isak hit the market, Liverpool will be watching — and very likely ready to submit an offer. Under Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, the Reds have returned to a model of opportunistic precision: no panic buys, no dragged-out sagas, just smart moves with a clear tactical fit. The sales have started and will continue through the summer, which off sets much of the marquee level acquisitions.

Isak offers everything that this team needs and it isn’t too difficult a move to finance. He’s not only a goal scorer but a facilitator — capable of drifting wide, linking midfield, and pressing with intelligence. In Slot’s system, which relies on positional rotations, controlled chaos, and final-third clarity, the Swede would thrive. He wouldn’t just replace Núñez — he’d elevate the role and bring the best from Wirtz and Salah behind him.

Slot doesn’t need a bull in the box and the team dynamic would not favour such a player. He needs a conductor who can pin everything together from the point of the attack. With Salah still explosive and Wirtz now installed as the creative hub, Isak could become the glue that binds Liverpool’s new attack together. Tall, quick, and technical — this isn’t a luxury signing; it’s a tailored solution that almost guarantees success.

It’s on Newcastle Now

While Liverpool may be willing, the power lies with Newcastle and the fact that a long contract is in place. They don’t have to sell Isak, but their actions are beginning to suggest they might and won’t hold back a player that may become disillusioned. The João Pedro bid didn’t come from nowhere, and if that deal progresses, the door creaks open and pathways for all become that bit less congested.

The Reds won’t get drawn into a bidding war, but if Newcastle decide Isak is the sacrifice they need to comply with PSR, Liverpool are arguably the best-placed club to move — financially strong after recent exits and equipped with a system tailor-made for his skillset. It is also very likely that the player only wants the Merseyside giants and that other suitors would not be entertained.

Isak isn’t a long-term project. He’s ready now. And Liverpool, with Slot at the helm, are ready for a striker who brings certainty rather than chaos. From a personal standpoint, I think it’s a deal that happens and is something which increases the level of a club that could be the best in the world. With that carrot dangling and the strategic abilities to make the right choice, it almost feels inevitable.