Jamie Carragher has raised concerns over the future of one of Liverpool’s pricey summer signings because of the Reds’ pursuit of Alexander Isak.
Liverpool have spent big this summer, already splashing out £321million on the likes of Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.
They have also already had one bid for Isak rejected, with Newcastle waiting to sign a striker themselves before entertaining an offer that would have to well exceed £100million for their star man.
Isak, meanwhile, has made himself unavailable for selection in a bid to push through a move to the Reds, and Liverpool are expected to splash out again to sign him later on in the window.
He, though, would be the second striker Liverpool would sign this summer. Hugo Ekitike arrived for £79m earlier this window, and is currently first choice No 9 – a position Isak would likely take if he joined.
That, according to Carragher, is a worry, with Liverpool spending big on Ekitike – but maybe not having a spot for him in their best team if they get the Isak deal over the like.
Jamie Carragher has said he fears for the future of Hugo Ekitike if Liverpool sign Alexander Isak this summer
Isak is trying to push through a move to Liverpool, would would have to pay over £100million to sign him
Carragher said he struggles to see how Ekitike would enjoy regular minutes in attack with Isak in the Liverpool team
‘We spoke to Arne Slot a couple of days ago and asked him about the situation,’ Carragher said on Sky Sports ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Bournemouth on the first day of the new Premier League season. ‘He [Ekitike] can play on the left and in a front two. The only thing for me where I question the Isak thing is I’m not quite sure when the lad will get minutes in his preferred position.
‘It’s up front – it’s hard to pay the two of them together because of Wirtz in the 10. He will play every game he is fit for and so will Isak. He will probably end up filling in for Isak if he was the one who came in but I don’t know if he would ever fulfill his full potential at the club if you buy someone like Isak.’
Gary Neville, meanwhile, threw back to his Manchester United days, when depth up front way key. He differed from Carragher’s opinion, suggesting Ekitike would be fine.
‘I think three or four strikers has always been the norm,’ he said. ‘You play Isak, but Ekitike plays 20 or 25 games then comes off the bench in another 20 and you get 45 games out of him.
‘£80m does not feel like an understudy price, it feels like he should be a starting player, but maybe Liverpool are at a level where they have the money and team where that is a second striker and that is the quality they want to back him up if he gets an injury. Maybe for us its psychologically getting around the price.’
Carragher added: ‘I am only thinking from a manager’s point of view. The players in the dressing room, there is a hierarchy. When you spend that money, Isak becomes one of them, like Alisson, like van Dijk, like Salah.
‘Sometimes you have competition and sometimes players are an understudy. if Isak comes in, Ekitike is an understudy and £80m is a lot for an understudy.’
