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For some, Liverpool signing Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day would have been more important than getting the $169 million (£125 million) deal over the line for Alexander Isak.
In reality, though, fears about Liverpool's defensive ranks are unfounded. Arne Slot has four center-backs even without Guehi coming in, and in attack, not getting Isak would have left Arne Slot lacking options when the fixture schedule begins to ramp up.
Unquestionably, going from six senior forwards to four — one of whom is Federico Chiesa, over which there remains a substantial question mark — would have been a risk. Adding Isak to that mix offers a little more security.
Next week, for instance, Liverpool has Burnley on Sunday and then Atletico Madrid in the Champions League midweek, before the Anfield derby against Everton.
Given Isak is yet to play a competitive minute this season and missed pretty much the whole summer of preparations in a bid to force through a move to Liverpool, Slot will have to be careful with the Swede.
But when Isak is up to speed, the Liverpool head coach will need all the options available to him in weeks like those. Playing a front three of Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, and Mohamed Salah for 90 minutes three times in eight days is simply unfeasible.
"I don’t think Ekitike would ever fulfil his full potential at the club if someone like Isak is there," Jamie Carragher said last month. "If Isak comes in, Ekitike would be an understudy. And £80 million is not a lot of money for an understudy."
But Ekitike, who signed for a fee of around $106 million (£79 million) from Eintracht Frankfurt, would have known that Isak coming in was a strong possibility. It is for that reason that it won't be an issue.
"When you play at big clubs, you expect to be in competition with the best players," Ekitike said while away on international duty with France this week, where he made his debut at that level.
"Isak is a player that I watched, so for him to arrive is great. It will provide tough competition, but I’ll focus on being good and performing well so that it is just the manager's problem."
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Ekitike is ready to battle for his spot — Liverpool had the benefit of that on the left wing last season with Gakpo and Luis Diaz pushing each other on — and there will be more than enough minutes to go around.
His attitude is simply that he has to perform to the best level possible in order to get the nod as often as he can — and even when he doesn't start, he will be near-guaranteed to come off the bench.
"It is a big transfer," Ekitike added. "I am watched 1000 times more than before, but I take it as a positive. It is the position I wanted to be in.
"When you have these kinds of standards, you have to show that you deserve your place here and continue to perform. It is a position that I like to be in, and I want to keep it."
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