“World-class” £150m CF now wants to sign for Liverpool

Liverpool weathered waves of mockery last summer as they moved on from Jurgen Klopp’s shocking departure from his manager’s post by opting against any meaningful investment in the transfer market.

But scorn has since been silenced, with Arne Slot leading Liverpool to the 2024/25 Premier League title before handing the mic to sporting director Richard Hughes, whose dealings in the summer transfer window have been as impressive as they have been merciless.

What is next season’s objective? The retention of the Premier League? Winning the Champions League? The quadruple? FSG’s strategems are likely not so single-minded, with the ambitious scope of Liverpool’s spending instead indicating a desire to be named among the favourites of such competitions for many years to come. Year in, year out.

Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong are full-backs who will drive that vision, providing dynamic width for Slot’s side, and Giorgi Mamardashvili will challenge Alisson for the spot between the sticks.

However, Florian Wirtz is unquestionably the cream of the club’s window thus far.

What Florian Wirtz will bring to Liverpool

Liverpool have signed Bayer Leverkusen’s star man for a fixed £100m fee, which has the potential to rise to a British-record £116m.

Wirtz is only 22, but he’s already achieved greatness in his German homeland, winning the 2023/24 Bundesliga title with Leverkusen, who toppled Bayern Munich after so many years and did so without falling to a single defeat.

Oh, and he picked up the division’s Player of the Year award. Wirtz is a mobile number ten with a tendency to drift out onto the left, but he’s a fearsome weapon with standout technical quality, awareness, and vision that sets him apart from the rabble.

Will his ability translate to the Premier League? This, of course, is the million-dollar question which has proved insoluble for many high-profile arrivals who at first promised so much.

But Wirtz is different, with a robust physical profile and the makings of a superstar. Furthermore, he could find himself playing with one of the world’s best strikers, who Liverpool have not given up hope of signing this summer.

Liverpool still interested in superstar striker

Liverpool are interested in signing Alexander Isak. But for all the noise, those in the Newcastle United camp are adamant that the Sweden striker is going nowhere unless an offer is made to the tune of £200m, as per The Telegraph.

This feels unrealistic, it must be said. However, TEAMtalk have since followed the national paper’s claim by revealing Isak is keen on the move to Anfield, and that Liverpool would be tempted to lodge a £150m bid, including add-ons.

This is certainly one to keep an eye on, but it’s worth reiterating that the Magpies do not want to sell and will not roll over after sealing their spot in next year’s Champions League.

Why Liverpool should sign Alexander Isak

If the finances check out, there’s a growing sense Liverpool will pursue a deal.

Isak was named “the best striker in the world” by analyst Raj Chohan after his exploits last season, scoring 27 goals from 42 matches in all competitions as Newcastle returned to the Champions League and won the Carabao Cup, beating Slot’s side in the final and netting.

Mohamed Salah was the only man to outscore him in the Premier League, and with the Egyptian and Wirtz leading the supply line next year, now that Trent Alexander-Arnold has moved to Real Madrid, Reds fans could be in for a treat.

The 25-year-old Isak appears to have shaken from his game the injury issues that plagued him at times throughout his career. Now he is mature. Now, Isak has developed not only his technical quality but his strength and athleticism and durability too.

Coming off the back of his personal best season, the Toon talisman is ready to take the step up in his career and realise his potential, joining a Liverpool side who have a vacant spot at number nine.

Well, not quite yet. Darwin Nunez is in the process of transferring to Serie A champions Napoli, and Isak would be a stunning upgrade on the wasteful Uruguayan, for pundit Alan Shearer has aptly named his boyhood club’s main man a “world-class assassin”.

While Isak’s quality stems from his goalscoring aptitude, he is differentiated from his positional peers through his slick movements, pacy and powerful and attuned to the processes of his opponents.

Likewise, it would be easy to categorise Wirtz as a sharp playmaker with an eye for goal, but he’s so much more. You’d hope so, in fairness, for a British-record fee.

Former Bayern Munich technical director Marco Neppe is certainly a fan, saying: “He is so brave. His skillset is dangerous for every opponent. He can change the momentum of a game just by having an idea nobody expects, and suddenly everything is different. He is a game changer.”

His ability to shift momentum through a range of skills that ensure those against him never know what’s coming next is perfect for Isak, whose shifty, lateral movements, pulling out wide or piledriving right through even iron-clad defences, will end in space perfect for a well-placed through ball.

Indeed, the German international ranked among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Bundesliga last year for through balls, the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref – and that’s just one part of his skill set.

The fact is, Liverpool already have one of the finest frontlines in world football, but now they have packaged it with Wirtz, and Isak could now follow.

The Scandinavian goalscorer is proven as one of football’s deadliest marksmen, but he’s so much more and could take that momentous leap by joining the party down Anfield Road.

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