There’s a chance Alexander Isak’s potential transfer might be in jeopardy, with reports surfacing that Liverpool are considering a well-known alternative to strengthen their attacking options.
Following Newcastle United’s rejection of Liverpool’s substantial offer, the forward, Alexander Isak, has reportedly expressed his desire to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Sources suggest that Liverpool may be hesitant to increase their initial bid of £110m, potentially shifting their focus to Real Madrid’s Rodrygo as a viable alternative.
Liverpool face competition from Manchester City in Rodrygo pursuit
Reports have previously linked Liverpool with the Brazilian player, suggesting that the Reds considered Rodrygo as a possible replacement for Luis Diaz when he transferred to Bayern Munich.
According to Football Insider, Rodrygo’s representatives have traveled to England to engage in discussions with Liverpool about a potential transfer, with plans to also meet with representatives from Manchester City.
Previously, it has been mentioned that City might consider making a move for Rodrygo should Savinho leave, amid speculation linking him with Tottenham.
During Real Madrid’s La Liga opener against Osasuna on Tuesday, Rodrygo remained on the sidelines, while Brahim Diaz, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Junior started up front. Later, Franco Mastantuono and Gonzalo Garcia were brought on as substitutes.
Real Madrid are believed to be open to the possibility of Rodrygo’s departure, but only if a significant offer is made, with a reported price tag of €100m (£86.5m) being considered for his services.
Rodrygo currently holds the sixth position in FourFourTwo’s list of top right wingers and has been a consistent presence for Real Madrid, scoring 68 goals and providing 51 assists in 270 appearances since his arrival from Santos in 2019.
According to FourFourTwo, Rodrygo might not be the perfect fit for Liverpool’s specific requirements compared to Isak, but acquiring a player of his level would still be a beneficial move.
Following Diaz’s departure, the unfortunate injury to Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez’s move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Arne Slot’s team needs more depth in their attacking options to maintain their Premier League title and progress further in various competitions compared to last season.
While Hugo Ekitike has shown promise as a centre-forward, and with Florian Wirtz operating as a number 10, Liverpool currently has only Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Federico Chiesa available for the remaining forward positions.
This situation leaves the centre-forward position somewhat vulnerable, explaining their interest in Isak. Although Rodrygo is primarily a winger rather than a traditional number 9, adding him to the squad would allow Slot to potentially reposition Gakpo in a central role.
If Liverpool opts to sign either Rodrygo or another alternative target, it would be a significant setback for Isak and could create a challenging situation for Newcastle.
The Swedish international’s strong push for a transfer has potentially made his position within Eddie Howe’s squad untenable, even if he remains with Newcastle beyond the transfer window.
Despite Isak’s impressive performances for Newcastle, their supporters are unlikely to easily forgive his actions, and the club might share similar sentiments towards a player who has clearly expressed a desire to leave.
This could result in the club having to pay substantial wages to a player who lacks motivation and is disheartened, which is far from ideal for any of the parties involved.
