Liverpool told Isak signing will cause ‘strange situation’ with Reds star ‘shaking his head’ at transfer
Liverpool have been warned that Hugo Ekitike is “going to be shaking his head” over the signing of Alexander Isak on deadline day.
It looked like a deal for Isak would never get over the line going into the final days of the window with Newcastle still in need of attacking reinforcements before allowing the Swede out.
But, as the Magpies got deals for Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa over the line, Liverpool managed to agree a £125m fee for Isak with the potential for the deal to rise to £130m.
Isak completed his move to Liverpool late on deadline day after publicly pushing for the transfer for the last couple of weeks – but Liverpool legend Steve Nicol insists it’s not all good news for Reds fans with Ekitike potentially angered by the arrival.
Nicol told ESPN FC: “This is what top class management is about. Because not only are we talking about a guy in Ekitike who could not have started any better for Liverpool, and if you’re him you’re looking over your shoulder now, which is going to be tough.”
When asked how Ekitike might respond to Isak’s arrival, Nicol added: “There’s going to be a strange situation. When Alexander Isak, if he does, walks in the dressing room and it’s ‘pleased to meet you’, Ekitike’s going to be shaking his head and then everyone else, apart from maybe [Mo] Salah, is going to be thinking ‘is this going to be affecting me?'”
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Nicol continued on the challenge facing the Liverpool boss: “This is going to be down to Arne Slot and how he handles the players.”
Before he was aware of the Marc Guehi deal collapsing, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand insisted that Liverpool “could win the lot” after signing Isak.
Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “I’ll tell you what yeah, if Liverpool get Isak and Guehi, it’s over, they could win the lot. Champions League, everything, them two players will be at Liverpool before this transfer window is finished as well.
“I mean, Hugo Ekitike has done well his first three games I think he’s played, everything that they would have wanted, they have seen from him so far.
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“Even [against Arsenal], they had a goal disallowed and he was in the thick of it, he was offside but he’s there, he’s there or thereabouts, he’s going to score goals.
“But Isak in there, that cast, that Premier League know-how, that bit more experience, someone who can score goals out of nothing… £130 million they’re saying, if Wirtz is worth £120 million then Isak, definitely, £130 million [would be] well spent.”
In his first interview with the club, Isak outlined his reasons for joining: “I think it’s a mixture of what the club is building, but what they’re building on top of what the club already is. The history of the club. Me getting the chance to be a part of this, I want to create history. I want to win trophies.
“That’s ultimately the biggest motivation for me and I feel like this is the perfect place for me to grow even further and to take my game to the next level and help the team as well.”
On his big ambition, Isak added: “I feel like this is the next step for me in my career. I’m super-happy that I’ve been given this chance and I’m very motivated to do something well with it.
“I think I have a lot to give, I think I have a lot to improve. I’m a striker but I always want to give as much as possible to the team, mainly goals but much more than that as well. I want to win everything.”
