What About Hugo?
Alexander Isak is great, but.
So as I sit down to write this piece, all of the noise suggests Alexander Isak is probably going to move to Anfield before the transfer window closes, with Newcastle United on the verge of signing Nick Woltemade.
The German is a fun player. Weird and quite unique, kinda like our very own Hugo Ekitike, who has definitely been on my mind of late. I’ve been pretty surprised by the level of his start in the Premier League.
The Liverpool striker has seized the opportunity in front of him, scoring in each of his last three appearances while also linking Arne Slot’s game together and creating his fair share of chances for good measure.
He looks readier than I anticipated. So much so that plenty of supporters genuinely believe Isak is no longer required. But as a deal for the Swede edges closer, it remains to be seen what’s going to happen to Ekitike.
Isak seems destined to cost in the region of £130m. That’s enough to virtually guarantee his status as a starter. He’s also 25 years old, meaning his prime is now. There’s no time to lose.
Slot won’t be able to delay his introduction for very long before people start getting suspicious, which doesn’t bode well for Ekitike, who has been keeping his shirt warm.
You don’t spend over £100m on a player to field him anywhere other than his favoured position. For Isak, we know he’s a striker. That’s it. There’s nothing more to add. Don’t overthink it.
But Ekitike demanded around £80m himself. And sure, he’s younger than Isak, but we aren’t talking about a rookie here. He’s 23 years old, and thoroughly deserves to stay on the pitch based on his showings to date.
It’s a strange one. You almost can’t pass on the opportunity to bring Isak to Merseyside, but there’s a legitimate argument to suggest Liverpool really don’t need a £130m striker right now. A multifunctional forward like Rodrygo, perhaps, but not a fixed number nine.
