Following the Community Shield, there was a clear dichotomy between Liverpool’s new attacking signings, two superstars in the making, and the old guard: Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
How strange that Arne Slot’s most trusted lieutenants were the ones to flatter to deceive at Wembley, with all-powerful captain Van Dijk culpable for both of Crystal Palace’s goals and Salah, coming off the back of perhaps the greatest individual season in Premier League history, anonymous throughout.
Both signed bumper contract extensions toward the end of last season, ending months of speculation, but they are each headed toward their mid-30s, and there are some within the Reds fanbase and many more peering through an outside lens who will view this as the changing of the guard on Merseyside.
But then, could it be that the noise around these two poor performances comes with a reactionary tone? They are two of the finest players in the world, after all.
But the fact remains, Liverpool’s indomitable heroes are not going to be around forever, but given the remarkable nature of FSG’s summer spending, neither do they have to shoulder such heavy burdens over the next two years.
Liverpool's crucial summer transfer window
With Trent Alexander-Arnold having left in June for Real Madrid, Liverpool needed a new creative force to lead Slot’s team. Florian Wirtz is that man, having signed from Bayer Leverkusen for a £100m fee, which may grow to a British-record £116m.
The attacking midfielder showed flashes of peerless quality against Palace at Wembley, claiming an early assist when playing in fellow newbie Hugo Ekitike, whose debut finish was spectacular.
Last month, Ekitike joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79m, £69m up front and £10m achievable through add-ons.
Meeting this new Red Sea of firepower was Marc Guehi, who may yet join Slot’s side this summer. Liverpool are desperately short of options in defence, and the acceptance that the 34-year-old Van Dijk might not be quite as sturdy as he once was only reinforces the argument that such a player is needed.
Palace chairman Steve Parish confirmed that Guehi could leave this summer, else he will depart for free next summer.
While adding a centre-back feels the most pressing concern, it’s not actually top of sporting director Richard Hughes’ agenda. There’s another Premier League superstar pushing for a move to Merseyside; you know who.
Liverpool hold talks for marquee signing
According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, Liverpool resumed talks with Newcastle United for Alexander Isak on Monday, with the sale of Darwin Nunez to Al Hilal allowing FSG to place their emphasis on signing the Sweden striker.
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Isak, 25, has sought to force a move to Liverpool this summer, opting against travelling with the Magpies for their pre-season tour and remaining ostracised from Eddie Howe’s squad thereafter.
Liverpool have already seen a £110m offer knocked back at the start of August, and must be growing in confidence that they can get the deal done, especially with Newcastle edging toward deals for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and Yoane Wissa of Brentford.
Why Liverpool want Alexander Isak
With Ekitike so slick and cultured in his attacking berth on Sunday, some might feel a move for Isak would be superfluous. Liverpool have signed one of the best young strikers in the business, and he’s got the potential to lead the Anfield line for many years to come.
But who says the respective strikers can’t cohabit within Slot’s squad?
Salah might still be Liverpool’s attacking linchpin, but the Egyptian King needs to recover his finest form. Not only did Salah fail to impress during the Community Shield, but he has carried his torpor from the end of last season into the new one. Indeed, the 33-year-old has scored three goals and registered one assist across his past 15 matches for the club in all competitions.
It’s hardly something to panic about. Salah might not boast the same snappy speed or nimble athleticism as he once did, but he’s one of the most intelligent and resourceful forwards of his generation, and he scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists across 52 matches in all competitions last season.
And by signing Isak, who is so accomplished within the English game, Liverpool might succeed in maintaining Salah’s output, especially from a creative vantage point.
As per Sofascore, the £400k-per-week right winger averaged 2.4 key passes per Premier League match last season, creating 27 big chances in total (the most in the division). Sadly, Nunez never hit the kind of prolific fluency to capitalise on the riches Salah’s playmaking provided him.
The £120k-per-week Isak, 25, hasn’t yet reached the same godlike goalscoring levels, but his improvements have come incrementally over his three years on Tyneside, and he scored against Liverpool to lift the Carabao Cup last term with Newcastle, the most important of his 27 strikes across the campaign.
24/25 – 42 (41)
27
6
23/24 – 40 (36)
25
2
22/23 – 27 (18)
10
3
But there’s no denying he’s one of the most devastating strikers in Europe, with Fabrizio Romano hailing him as a “machine” in front of goal.
Given that Isak is also an impressively mobile striker, thus retaining some of the movement and tenacity that Nunez brought to the table (he was hardly all bad, was he?), the fact that Salah has lost a yard of pace is negated; or if not negated, at least that blow is tempered.
There might be concerns that Liverpool’s push for Isak could come to Ekitike’s detriment, but the Reds currently boast just the one centre-forward, and he’s yet to taste Premier League action.
The pairing could thrive, and what’s more, their arrivals could ease the burden that Salah carried throughout the 2024/25 campaign and could actually see the old dog go from strength to strength this year.
