Liverpool should have quick answer to Saudi Arabia interest in Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak's Liverpool career has yet to go to plan, with the former Newcastle striker scoring just two goals for the Merseyside club since his record-breaking transfer

Alexander Isak's start to life at Liverpool has been the stuff of nightmares(Image: Ciancaphoto Studio, Getty Images)

Liverpool should offer up a swift no when it comes to transfer interest from Saudi Arabia for Alexander Isak's services.

It's been just over three months since the Reds splashed out a British record transfer fee of $169 million (£125 million) for the striker's services. The Swede enjoyed a career-best year with Newcastle last season, where he netted 23 league goals and six assists while winning the Carabao Cup against the Reds.

Isak, 26, was only bettered in the Premier League goal-scoring charts by current teammate Mohamed Salah, with his transfer saga becoming the center of the summer window. The move was only completed on deadline day.

An initial slow start at Anfield was to be expected given his lack of a preseason, but as we slowly approach January, Isak looks a shadow of the player who was lighting up St. James' Park for three years.

The striker has scored just two goals in 15 appearances this season, with just one of his strikes coming in the Premier League.

Struggles with form and injuries mean he's been in and out of Arne Slot's starting line-up, with fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike hugely impressing in his place.

It's been a difficult start to life at Liverpool for Alexander Isak(Image: Getty Images)

Ekitike, who is three years younger than Isak, has bagged a club-leading 10 goals across all competitions and has made himself a key part of Slot's Reds, who are now unbeaten in their last five games. Amid Isak's struggles to stamp himself at Anfield, Spanish reports state that clubs in the Saudi Pro League are open to signing the Sweden international in a stunning January switch.

Several outfits in the Middle East, where ex-Reds stars Fabinho, Sadio Mane, and Georginio Wijnaldum ply their trade, are said to be willing to fork out huge offers for the striker.

Plenty in the media have had their say on Isak, with Wayne Rooney admitting the Swede doesn't deserve to play ahead of Ekitike on current form. Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the Manchester United icon previously said: "I wouldn't play Isak; he hasn't looked ready since coming from Newcastle.

"He hasn't trained, hasn't had a pre-season. It's so important. It's so difficult when you don't have a pre-season. He might've done stuff by himself, but he's paying the price for it. On performances, he doesn't deserve to be playing ahead of Ekitike."

The Swede faces tough competition to start due to Hugo Ekitike's form(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Isak's excellence on the pitch may seem like a lifetime ago, but it's still very much in the mind of Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven, who named the striker as the hardest opponent he's faced in his career.

During his appearance on The Overlap earlier this week, the Dutchman told Gary Neville: "So the game we played against Newcastle when we lost, the game I slipped as well. But this game, Isak was different level, so at this point I was like, 'He’s a top-class player.'

"I knew he was top class, but this game I was like, [he’s excellent]. He can run in behind, he can come into the ball, and, technically, he’s also really good with the ball. He’s fast, he has a top finish. So at that point, he was literally just like everywhere."