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Alan Shearer has again suggested that Liverpool did not plan to sign both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak during the summer transfer window.
Ekitike continued his fine start to life on Merseyside since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt by scoring both goals in the win over Brighton on Saturday. Isak meanwhile has managed just one goal following his record switch from Newcastle.
The Magpies had appeared in pole position to sign Ekitike before Liverpool swooped after initial approaches for Isak were turned down. But the Reds went back in for Isak at the end of the window, leaving Arne Slot with two top central strikers.
Isak's injury and fitness concerns have meant Slot has often rotated the pair but it appears that Ekitike has the shirt at the moment after taking his goal tally to 10 for the season.
And while Shearer has been very impressed, he is still not sure Liverpool would have signed both strikers. He told The Rest Is Football: "Liverpool has got a really good player there. He is brilliant. He has got a spark and a good arrogance.
"He has got belief and confidence. He has gone into a tough environment and has really stood out which is not easy when the rest of the team is struggling.
"But I would love to know the full story about Ekitike and Isak, about whether Liverpool really wanted them both. For most of the time, it will be one or the other.
"I know they both played in Milan but if you are paying that much for one, and leaving the other out, there will always be issues.
"Obviously Newcastle came in for him, was talking to him and he chose Liverpool. Fine, I get that and understand it. But then the Isak situation as well, I don't know. I am not convinced we know the full story."
Micah Richards shared a similar view, admitting he expected Isak to claim Liverpool's main place in attack. He added: "When Liverpool got Ekitike in, I was convinced it meant that Isak was no longer happening.
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"Then when it came back to the table, everyone thought Isak was the final piece as a tried and tested striker.
I spoke to Thierry Henry, who knows him very well. He said 'he is going to be a very good player but we have to see if he is ready for the Premier League'. It was a little bit of a gamble.
"We knew what we were going to get from Isak. It seemed like Liverpool only went for Ekitike at the time, because it didn't think it would get Isak."
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