Liverpool are set for a busy few days in the transfer window as they try and wrap up two major deals.
The Reds have signed five first team players this summer in what has been an unusually busy off-season at Anfield.
However, there is still work to be done. With less than two days of the market remaining, Liverpool are hoping to sign both Marc Guehi and Alexander Isak.
With both sagas dragging on into the months, supporters have been wondering why Liverpool have left it so long before making their move.
The Reds made a bid for Guehi on Saturday evening, while a second offer for Isak is set to arrive on either Sunday or Monday.
The lateness of the action is making fans nervous that the transfers will not go through. But according to Newcastle-based journalist Craig Hope, it has always been Liverpool’s plan to leave as little wiggle room as possible.
Alexander Isak warms up ahead of Newcastle United's Premier League match against Everton at St James' Park.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Liverpool leaving Newcastle no room to negotiate over Alexander Isak
From a distance, supporters’ frustration over a lack of movement on Isak has been easy to understand. But, in reality, Liverpool could do little until Newcastle got their own house in order.
And speaking on his YouTube channel after the Magpies’ drew 0-0 with Leeds on Saturday, Hope says Liverpool’s operation to sign Isak has been a ‘summer-long strategy.’
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“This is a summer-long strategy we’re seeing from Liverpool and, for me, they’ve played it quite well,” he admits. “They’ve left the bid at £110m over the past three or four weeks so when they do return, there’s no point bidding against themselves, the jumping off point is £110m.
“They’ve waited for Newcastle to commit big money elsewhere. Newcastle are also still pursuing that second striker. Liverpool now will believe that Isak has taken it to a point of no return perhaps with Newcastle, that was certainly the mood music during the week.”
“Liverpool now, having left it at this point, they’re going to leave as small a window as possible to get the deal done,” Hope explains “They don’t want weeks worth of Newcastle having the opportunity to reject, because Newcastle want to draw a line under that and Liverpool know as much.
“They will come back, be that tomorrow [Sunday] or Monday and Newcastle will be left with a decision to make of do they accept an offer which we believe will be in the region of £120m.
“Do I expect Liverpool return? Yes. Do I think Newcastle are open to the sale? Yes. Do I think they’ll get a deal done? Most likely.”
Could Liverpool’s strategy backfire?
Although there is certainly logic to Liverpool’s strategy here – and some of it was out of their hands as Newcastle pursued Isak replacements – there is also plenty of risk attached to it.
Leaving a bid so late always leaves the selling club in a bit of a pickle. In this scenario, the good news is that Newcastle are very much expecting that second offer to come in. It will not be a surprise.
Nevertheless, if Liverpool go too far below what Newcastle are asking for, it could leave the deal dead in the water. There is a balance to be maintained.
As Hope says, though, the feeling from Newcastle appears to be one of resignation. It now benefits everyone involved to get this transfer done.
Until Isak is pictured in a Liverpool shirt with the number nine on his back, though, anything could still happen here.