Fowler urges Liverpool to sign £40m Arsenal target instead of paying ‘silly’ money for Isak

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler reckons the Reds should look to sign Arsenal target Ollie Watkins as an Alexander Isak alternative in the summer.

The Reds were crowned Premier League champions nine days ago as they beat Tottenham 5-1 at Anfield with four games to spare.

Although fans wouldn’t admit it, Liverpool had been looking sure of the Premier League title for weeks before they eventually got it over the line.

Liverpool are currently 15 points ahead of nearest rivals Arsenal and they will be looking to replicate this again next season as they look for help in the summer transfer window.

Arne Slot has had very little support in terms of transfers over the last couple of windows with Federico Chiesa the only player signed to play this campaign.

But the Reds are expected to make at least three signings with rumours they will bring in a left-back, a centre-back and a striker in the summer.

Newcastle United star Isak is the striker every club in the Premier League wants but Fowler reckons a move for Watkins – who was the subject of a £40m Arsenal bid in the January transfer window – at Aston Villa could be more economical.

When asked about potential summer business at Anfield, Fowler told The I Paper: “If you’re not signing players, you risk potentially going backwards.

“Maybe [Darwin] Nunez will be a name on a few teams’ lists because he hasn’t played the amount of games he’d want to, so you assume Liverpool will try to bring a No 9.

“The problem is clubs know that they are potentially on the lookout for a No 9, so the prices will become silly. If you look at [Alexander] Isak, he’s going to be £100m plus easily.

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“He’s a wonderful player, but Liverpool may not want to pay that, and they’ll look around.

“You could look at Ollie Watkins. He doesn’t really fit the model in terms of what Liverpool want, given his age [29 years old], but I’d go and get him for a couple of years because he’s a tremendous player and established and experienced in the Premier League.”

Despite scoring 15 Premier League goals this term, Watkins looked frustrated when Unai Emery decided to leave him out of the starting XI for both legs of their Champions League quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain.

And former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has urged 29-year-old Watkins to look for another club if he’s unhappy at Villa.

Hargreaves told Premier League Productions in April: “Obviously Ollie has every right to be upset.

£But the best thing you can do is play like he did against Newcastle, finish the job, score goals, get them to the top four.

“If you’re not happy, play somewhere else, at 29.”