Even though he ended the season by slowing down, no one could get near Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot in 2024/25.
But the closest man on the list — six goals behind on 23 — was Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak. And just the mere mention of that name has been enough to get pulses racing when it comes to transfer speculation.
Murmurs in recent days have suggested that Liverpool would be willing to pay even more for him than it has committed for Florian Wirtz. That, of course, is a deal worth up to $157 million (£116 million), including add-ons, so is hardly insubstantial.
Could Liverpool do Wirtz and Isak in one summer? It is likely feasible from a financial perspective, but the bigger issue would be Newcastle's insistence that cashing in simply isn't something it is considering.
The North East side has been unwilling to place a price tag on Isak's head because it maintains that the 25-year-old isn't for sale. Newcastle won a trophy last season and then qualified for the Champions League, and it wants to avoid becoming a selling club.
Unlike a year ago, there is no desperate need to generate funds for PSR purposes. And while selling Isak for big money would free up space to spend big, Eddie Howe's team is resolute in its position: it wants to keep its star man.
As much as it would be the dream for most Liverpool fans to somehow snap Isak up and convince Newcastle that letting the Swede leave was the right course of action, it may not be possible.
Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid has been linked with Liverpool
Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid has been linked with Liverpool (Image: Diego Souto/Getty Images)
Even so, given that Darwin Nunez could leave and there are doubts over Diogo Jota's ability to perform consistently, signing a number nine on top of Wirtz should not be ruled out. But if not Isak, then who?
There is another option that should fall into the 'dream' category, though it would not be easy to pull off either. In Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, though, Liverpool would be getting a monster.
Alvarez, formerly of Manchester City, is a pressing machine, and is far more adept at that side of things than Isak, but he also scored 29 goals for the La Liga side last season. Under Diego Simeone, he continued his development — and a few months younger than Isak and with a better injury history, he has the edge there.
"I'd love to see Julian Alvarez at Liverpool and I think Darwin Nunez being part of the deal would make a lot of sense," former Reds midfielder Didi Hamann told Wette this week.
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"I think Nunez is tailor-made for Atletico Madrid as a physical center forward — someone who will work so hard, which is what Diego Simeone wants."
Simeone himself, meanwhile, has recently admitted that Liverpool being linked with Alvarez should be no surprise. "It’s logical," the Argentine told La Nacion earlier in the month.
"I can’t imagine any other scenario. Julian is 25 years old, he’s an extraordinary player, with hunger, with enthusiasm, with humility, with work, with goals, with status.
"How could everyone not want him? And Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, Liverpool... the best have to want him. And for us, Atletico fans, it should be a source of pride that everyone wants him. Why? Because he’s ours."
Liverpool getting Isak would be great, of course. But so too would Alvarez. It remains to be seen whether or not either is even remotely possible, but the latter should — just about — have the edge.