FSG are lining up Liverpool’s bid to land the full signing of Isak at Anfield
In the opinion of his now Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk, Alexander Isak was “the most in-form striker… in world football” a year ago, when the Swede went on to sink Arne Slot’s men in the Carabao Cup final.
Feared by the best players in the Premier League, be it Van Dijk, Gabriel, or William Saliba, the former Magpies star finished 2024/25 with 27 goals in all competitions, scoring 62 in 109 games following his record move to St James’ Park.
Fast forward to today, and the 26-year-old is yet to make 20 appearances for Merseyside, let alone 20 goals, suffering a campaign marred by fitness and injury after a long summer saga.
Limited to just five touches in the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, Isak is yet to approach the levels he did on Tyneside.
|
Isak vs PSG |
|
|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Record |
|
Minutes |
45 |
|
To touch |
5 |
|
Pass rate |
67% |
|
Key passes |
0 |
|
The ball is lost |
2 |
|
Shots |
1 |
|
Sprints |
12 |
|
Offsides |
2 |
|
Dribbles |
0/1 |
|
Duels won |
1/5 |
Could all that change with the right signing this summer?
Liverpool are preparing to sign a £21m Premier League talent
There may be a feeling that throwing money at the problem is not the answer at Anfield this summer, however with Mo Salah and Andy Robertson among those set to leave, this is still a squad in need of significant strengthening.
There is already talk of a deal for Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, although like Robertson, the Argentinian looks set to end up at Tottenham Hotspur, provided Roberto De Zerbi’s men can’t strike it.
A relegation bid from Spurs could influence Liverpool’s pursuit of one key member of De Zerbi’s squad, in the form of Pedro Porro, with Anfield Watch reporting that the Spaniard is a target for the Reds in the summer.
The report suggests the Sporting CP defender is one of the options FSG are ‘ready to sign’ ahead of next season, citing a potential bid after explaining the club are ‘planning a move’ for the right-back.
Anfield are believed to be eyeing a move for the 26-year-old as a possible wait should Tottenham relegate Robertson from relegated Hull City in 2017.
As for the price, it was reported in February that Porro could leave for around €25m (£21m), with his current deal in north London set to expire in 2028.
Why Porro would be the perfect signing for Isak at Anfield
A lack of pre-season and the late exit of Porro’s Tottenham team-mate Micky van de Ven have been key problems for Isak this season, although despite his emergence, Liverpool have never been able to get the best out of him.
He was really poor v PSG: Slot must bring down the Liverpool star who made only 15 passes
Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain for the second year in a row.
By Arne Slot’s own admission, the club lacks the Jacob Murphy-esque player that Isak had back at Newcastle, the pair forming a lethal connection under Eddie Howe’s watch.
Murphy, who operates on the right, was such a weapon in the penalty box, the pair have combined for 13 goals in all competitions during their time together, Isak’s career-high to date.
In Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s £125m signing may have found a new creative outlet, but with the Englishman on the run to Real Madrid, it could be Porro who fills that gap next season.
Of course, the Spurs man has been part of a historically poor team this term, and – like Alexander-Arnold – his defensive quality has been called into question, making five mistakes that led to dismissals in 2025/26, while he was tackled 1.3 times per game.
That said, the “machine” full-back – as praised by football.london’s Alasdair Gold – has shown in the past just how capable he is, notably racking up seven assists and 13 ‘big chances’ created as Spurs finished fifth in 2023/24, while notching 1.5 key passes per game.
Even in the past, the £21m man still registered six assists, created ten ‘big chances’ and made 1.7 key passes per game.
The aforementioned Murphy, by comparison, registered 12 assists, created 16 ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.3 passes in 2024/25, despite being ranked as a right winger.
Porro’s tally of 26 assists for Spurs across all categories makes it easy to read, especially for a right-back, to ensure he can be the man to provide Isak with goods, just like Murphy did last season.
It was that Newcastle connection that guided Howe’s men to Wembley glory last year, while Isak looked world-class under Van Dijk’s scrutiny, and Porro could be the perfect addition to allow the Scandinavian to reach those heights again.
The Spaniard may have his flaws defensively, however be it from a dead ball or open play, his creativity is a striker’s dream.
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