Liverpool striker signing: Will Alexander Isak or Hugo Ekitike join Arne Slot's Reds this summer?

Liverpool stormed to the Premier League title in 2024-25, marking an unexpectedly successful transition in the post-Jurgen Klopp era as Arne Slot led the club to a record-equalling 20th top-flight crown, drawing level with rivals Manchester United.

In line with the sentiment of strengthening when at your strongest, Liverpool have already been active in the transfer market, headlined by breaking the British transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £117m.

Now aiming to add further firepower, the Reds are reportedly in the market for a new striker to help ease the goalscoring burden on the talismanic Mohamed Salah, who directly contributed to 55% of their Premier League goals last term (29 goals and 18 assists).

Two names have emerged as their supposed top targets – Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike – with each offering a different type of signing for the club.

In this article, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the two forwards and evaluates which of the pair Liverpool should sign this summer.

Isak or Ekitike: Who fits Liverpool best?

Isak and Ekitike actually offer rather similar profiles on paper, as both are lanky forwards that posses wiry strength, speed, strong technical ability and a knack for scoring goals.

However, the current Newcastle striker holds a clear edge in terms of top-level experience and proven goalscoring pedigree, having firmly established himself as one of the most complete forwards in world football.

The Swede has netted 54 times in 86 Premier League appearances for Newcastle, while last season was just the second time that Ekitike has reached double figures in a league campaign – scoring 15 in 33 Bundesliga appearances for Frankfurt, having only previously scored 10 in 24 games for Stade Reims in 2021-22.

Given their contrasts in goalscoring records, it is no surprise that Newcastle’s asking price for Isak is thought to be upwards of £120m – which would mean Liverpool would have to break the British transfer record once again this summer – while Frankfurt are asking for a reported £85m.

That still represents a remarkably high fee for the Frenchman, who had scored just eight goals in 49 games across the two seasons prior to last, but it is worth noting that Isak had scored only six goals in 32 LaLiga appearances for Real Sociedad in 2021-22 before his £63m move to Newcastle.

In terms of tactical fits for Liverpool, as already mentioned, both boast the ability to drop deep and help build play and combine with fellow attackers – which could help further facilitate Salah – while they are capable of fashioning out their own chances through their speed, movement and technical skill.

While the difference in price may draw Liverpool toward Ekitike’s signing, the Reds may want to avoid another project striker such as Darwin Nunez – who has notably struggled since joining from Benfica – but the jaw-dropping demand for Isak also presents its own challenges.

The future of Liverpool’s front line

The coming season could mark a crucial turning point in Liverpool’s attacking evolution, with Salah edging toward the twilight of his Anfield career at 33 years old, while Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez are yet to prove themselves as consistent goal scorers.

Therefore, the next attacking signing will be expected to bolster the attack in the coming years before becoming the main spearhead of the forward line when the exceptional Egyptian eventually moves on.

Ekitike does offer the greater investment for the future at just 23 years old and with plenty of time to develop, though Isak is hardly a senior player at just 25 and with his prime years still to come.

Most crucially for Liverpool, though, the eventual signed striker will need to hit the ground running and contribute to their title defence and ambitions in Europe.

Therefore, the Premier League proven option of Isak makes the most sense for the Reds – reinforced by his greater track record of scoring at the highest level – and though it will cost a substantial transfer fee, it may well be worth it to sign arguably the best striker in the division.

Written by
Ellis Stevens