The January transfer window is now officially open in the Premier League. And, while it has become a particularly quiet period when it comes to player trading in the top flight, all clubs remain on the lookout to bolster their squads for the second half of the campaign.Liverpool are no different, despite how well their season has been going under new head coach Arne Slot.
A midfielder has been talked about since the move for Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad fell through, while there is also a debate over the long-term plans at left-back and at centre-half.
So far, the Reds are not expected to be active given their status as Premier League and Champions League leaders but that is not to say that the state of play cannot or won’t change before the end of the month.
At the risk of skirting the very edges of the agreed ‘realistic signing’ brief, I would love to see Liverpool aggressively and proactively seek a new No.9 in the shape of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.In more general terms, I believe the Reds are in need of a new centre-forward at some stage in the near future.
Diogo Jota is yet to stay fit for the entirety of a season since he moved from Wolves in September 2020, while doubts over Darwin Nunez persist and I am now of the opinion that the Uruguay striker won’t fulfil his potential at Anfield. The pursuit of an all-singing and all-dancing striker would quicken the pulse in January.
Isak has been sensational at St James’ Park this term, registering 12 goals for the Magpies, with only Erling Haaland (14) and Mohamed Salah (17) ahead of the Sweden international.
There have been suggestions that Isak is desperate for Champions League football, but the former Real Sociedad star made the point that he is not alone in that regard when it comes to top-level players when it was put to him after his goal helped Newcastle to a 2-0 win over Manchester United on Monday.
Liverpool would be able to virtually guarantee that for next season and while the fee might stray into the ‘unrealistic’ territory, the Reds would be well placed to offer prospective targets an exciting future under Slot. Even for a squad who are absolutely flying, Isak would be a game-changer through the middle.
