To start with the obvious, Liverpool have had quite a transfer window. After comfortably winning the Premier League last season, the Reds have made it clear that their status as champions of English football is one they are firmly set on maintaining.
Liverpool have never been ones to spend lavishly, but this summer, with a windfall of funds as a result of their Premier League success, they have broken the bank to recruit some of the most sought after talent on the continent.
Before the end of June, Liverpool had already secured the signings of Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, and Milos Kerkez for a reported total of over $257 million.
That figure increased by another $107 million in order to acquire the services of striker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt last month.
Just a year ago, the idea that the Reds would ever fork up anything remotely approaching the transfer fees of their additions this summer under Fenway Sports Group’s ownership would have been unthinkable.
Remarkably though, Liverpool did more than hint that their spending spree might well continue when they offered yet another huge sum to Newcastle for Alexander Isak last week.
The Magpies rejected the champions’ advances and according to numerous reports, Liverpool will not bid again for the striker this window.
The number one rule of the transfer window, however, is that anything can happen. No one can ever have a guarantee of what a team’s squad will look like when the window shuts until the window shuts.
With several weeks to go until deadline day, Liverpool can still reconsider making another push for Isak, particularly since Newcastle are in the market for another forward and should they land one, may find themselves receptive to offers for the Swedish international.
If such a scenario emerges, Liverpool should make Isak’s addition to their squad their chief priority, no matter the cost. Five key reasons why:
1. Isak will help Liverpool build on their recent success
While football offers zero guarantees, the potential addition of Isak to this Liverpool side brings the prospect of further silverware in the Anfield trophy cabinet as close as it can get to inevitable.
The Reds finished ten points clear of Premier League runners-up Arsenal and having made some significant upgrades to their squad in Kerkez and Wirtz, are already in an excellent position to continue their supremacy next season.
The signing of Isak would elevate the probability of back-to-back titles to an even loftier height.
The Sweden international was second only to Mohamed Salah in the Premier League scoring charts last season and with both of last seasons’ top scorers in their lineup, the Reds would indisputably boast the most lethal front line in England.
It really is not a stretch to contend that the firepower of Isak and Salah alone up top could be enough to propel the Reds straight back onto the winner’s podium come May.
Isak would also inject a massive boost to Liverpool’s chances of success on the continental stage.
That the Reds exited the Champions League only on penalties to the tournament’s eventual winners PSG somewhat masks how effectively the French side quieted the impact of Salah.
The task of keeping both Salah and Isak quiet, however, is entirely more colossal and could well prove insurmountable for any side in Europe. And this brings us to item number two…