In the opinion of current Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk, Alexander Isak was “the most in-form striker in world football”, having destroyed Arne Slott’s side in the Carabao Cup final just a year ago.
A terror to the Premier League’s best players such as Van Dijk, Gabriel and William Saliba, the former Magpies star finished the 2024/25 season with 27 goals in all competitions, scoring 62 goals in just 109 games following his club-record move to St James’ Park.
Fast forward to the present and the 26-year-old is yet to make 20 appearances, let alone score 20 goals, on Merseyside, with his season marred by fitness and injury problems after such a long summer.
Isak, who was restricted to just five touches in the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, is yet to approach the level he showed on Tyneside.
Isaac vs PSG | |
|---|---|
status | record |
minutes | 45 |
touch | 5 |
Pass rate | 67% |
key pass | 0 |
ball lost | 2 |
shot | 1 |
sprint | 12 |
offside | 2 |
dribble | 0/1 |
Total number of duels won | 1/5 |
Will all that change if he signs the right deal this summer?
Liverpool set to make £21m Premier League signing
There may be a sense at Anfield this summer that throwing money at the problem is not the answer, but with Mo Salah and Andy Robertson set to leave, this is still a team in need of significant reinforcements.
There has already been talk of signing Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth, but like Robertson, the Argentine looks destined to join Tottenham Hotspur if Roberto De Zerbi’s side can overcome their slump.
Spurs’ relegation battle could also affect Liverpool’s signing of Pedro Polo, one of the key members of De Zerbi’s side, with Anfield Watch reporting the Spaniard is a target for the Reds ahead of the summer.
The report suggests the former Sporting CP defender is one of the options FSG is “ready to sign” for next season, outlining that the club are “preparing for a transfer” for the attacking-minded right-back.
Anfield officials are believed to have plucked Robertson from relegated Hull City in 2017 and view the signing of the 26-year-old as a potential deal in case Tottenham are relegated.
As for price, it was reported in February that Polo could leave for a transfer fee of around 25 million euros, with his existing contract in north London set to expire in 2028.
Why Polo are perfect for Isak at Anfield
The lack of pre-season and the late rush of Polo’s Tottenham teammate Micky van de Ven have been the main problems for Isak this season, but even when he does feature, Liverpool have rarely been able to get the best out of him.
He was really poor vs. PSG: Liverpool’s star player who made just 15 passes has to be dropped for a spot
Liverpool were kicked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain for the second year in a row.
By Arne Slott’s own admission, the club lacked a player like Jacob Murphy, whom Isaac had at Newcastle, and the two formed such a deadly link under manager Eddie Howe.
Murphy, who plays on the right flank, is a huge asset with his sharp shots into the penalty area, and the pair have scored a combined 13 goals in all competitions during their spell together, the most in Isak’s career to date.
Liverpool’s £125m signing in Trent Alexander-Arnold may well have found a new home for creativity, but with the Englishman leaving for Real Madrid, it could very well be Polo who fills the void next season.
Of course, the Spurs man has been part of a historically weak side this season, while, like Alexander-Arnold, his defensive quality has been questionable, making five errors that led to shots in 2025/26 and being dribbled through 1.3 times per game.
However, the full-back ‘machine’ hailed by football.london’s Alasdair Gold has shown in the past how creative he is, most notably registering seven assists and creating 13 ‘big chances’ while averaging 1.5 key passes per game as Spurs finished fifth in 2023/24.
Even last season, the £21 million man provided six assists, created 10 ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.7 key passes per game.
For comparison, the aforementioned Murphy provided 12 assists, created 16 “big chances” and averaged 1.3 key passes in the 2024/25 season, despite lining up as a right-winger.
Polo’s total of 26 assists across Spurs’ front lines is certainly a good number, especially for a right-back, and he could certainly be the man to supply Isak, much like Murphy did last season.
It was the Newcastle links that led Howe’s side to Wembley glory last year. There was a time when Isak was looking world-class in Van Dijk’s own estimation, and polo could be the perfect addition to help the Scandinavian reach those heights again.
The Spain international may have his shortcomings defensively, but his flair for creativity is a striker’s dream, whether in dead-ball situations or in open play.
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