6 days ago
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Liverpool is now just two days away from kicking off its season in the Community Shield.
Last time the Reds were at Wembley, Alexander Isak found the net for Newcastle — but the build-up to this trip has been dominated by conversation over whether the striker might soon be turning out for Arne Slot's side.
It was never likely to be a straightforward transfer to pull off, given that Liverpool would need to pay a British record fee to land its man. And things have been further complicated by Newcastle's apparent inability to sign any of its potential replacement targets.
But with Hugo Ekitike already through the door, and youngsters like Rio Ngumoha shining in preseason, some have been left to wonder whether Liverpool's money might be better spent elsewhere. One former Red counts himself among those urging Slot to take a different approach.
David James has cautioned against "too many riches" in the Liverpool attack. He has suggested that his former club can win the Premier League without Isak.
"Liverpool don’t need Alexander Isak to win the Premier League," James said at the launch of Final One Standing by William Hill. "It’s possible for a team to be blessed with too many riches, and it can end with disappointing results.
"I know it’s important not to attach too much importance to preseason fixtures, but Liverpool look like a well-balanced side full of confident players. If they were to sign Isak, one immediate benefit would be that it would significantly weaken Newcastle.
"But that’s not the difference between winning the Premier League or not. It wouldn’t make them any stronger favourites than they already are.”
Liverpool certainly won't be factoring in the element of weakening Newcastle. Despite losing in the Carabao Cup, the Reds won't consider the Magpies to be too much of a threat to their overall ambitions just yet.
What's more interesting is whether James could be right about upsetting the apple cart. Liverpool's attack has been clicking in preseason, so adding a new ingredient to the formula inevitably comes with some kind of risk.
In particular, Ekitike would be forgiven for having concerns if Isak were to come through the door. So far, he has been tasked with leading the line, but his role would become a little less defined if the Swede were to arrive.
He might find himself shifted out to the left, but that would have implications for Cody Gakpo. He made his case to step up in the absence of Luis Diaz with a brace against Athletic Club in the last preseason outing.
Meanwhile, some would raise worries about what the arrival of Isak would do to the pathway for the likes of Ngumoha. Given what we have seen from him, blocking his route to minutes could ultimately prove counterproductive.
All in all, however, Liverpool does not really seem as though it is at the point where it has "too many riches." For one thing, one of the main sources of goals in preseason is most of the way out of the door.
Darwin Nunez has been destined for the chop for weeks, but he has played an outsized role in preseason, with no other recognized strikers available for much of that time. He has chipped in with numerous goals, but now looks on the brink of a switch to Saudi Arabia.
In that context, bringing in both Ekitike and Isak looks perfectly reasonable. It would mean leaving out some extremely talented players every week, but that's the nature of the biggest clubs.
It is up to Slot to manage the respective personalities at play in the dressing room. He has every reason to back himself, having maintained morale in the camp last season despite barely using elite players like Harvey Elliott.
Depth wins trophies at the highest level. Liverpool does not just want to retain its Premier League crown, it wants to challenge for everything — Isak would help to achieve that, and that in itself should be reason enough to go full steam ahead with a transfer, regardless of James' concerns.
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