First Wirtz, now Isak…? – FSG could be about to truly cast off Liverpool transfer shackles | OneFootball

Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have had a reputation among much of the club’s fan base for being overly frugal in the transfer market, but that could be about to change drastically this summer.

The Reds have already agreed a club-record £116m deal to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and even that garantuan fee could yet be eclipsed if another rumoured swoop comes off!

On Wednesday, the Evening Standard reported that the Premier League champions are weighing up a move for their ‘dream target’ Alexander Isak, on whom Newcastle have placed an extortionate £150m price tag.

Any transfer carries an element of risk, but naturally the more expensive a player is, the more scrutiny they can expect to face and the higher the stakes are for them to succeed.

It’s a bit like an online crash game where, the longer you take the risk and hold your nerve, the more money you could stand to win – try out this aviator demo if you’re curious!

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

FSG have already spent far more this summer than in 2024

The contrast between this summer and last at Liverpool could hardly be more stark. In the transfer window 12 months ago, the only incoming for the 2024/25 season was Federico Chiesa for an initial £10m.

Some Reds fans have decried what they felt was a lack of ambition from FSG in the market, especially when looking at other clubs bringing in one lavish purchase after another, all while seeing Manchester City hoover up six league titles in seven years.

However, now that it’s LFC who sit upon the champions’ throne, the Anfield hierarchy seem intent on atoning for their previous parsimony by pushing the boat out to an unprecedented degree for Wirtz and (just maybe) Isak.

Admittedly it seems highly unlikely that Newcastle will sell the Swedish striker this summer even if Liverpool were to meet his asking price, but for a mainstream British publication to simply run with the story indicates that the Merseysiders are serious about putting an even greater distance between themselves and the rest of the Premier League.

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

FSG serious about keeping Liverpool at the top

When we last won the title five years ago, the subsequent transfer window saw Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Thiago Alcantara arrive – fine additions, for sure, but not what you’d call a blockbuster spending spree.

However, there were mitigating circumstances in that it was a shortened window due to the distorted nature of the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, and all clubs were impacted financially (to varying degrees) by the loss of income arising from the global pandemic.

Nonetheless, if FSG were to pull off a coup for Isak to go along with the deal they’ve agreed for Wirtz, it’d represent an enormous state of intent and demonstrate that the transfer shackles have well and truly come off at Anfield!