Liverpool spent all of £194 million on strikers last summer but still find themselves short as they go into the 2025/26 season.
The predicament in which Liverpool find themselves is difficult; it is a sort of limbo in which competitive football will continue to be played while they wait to see if Hugo Ekitike will ever return to the player he promised to be.
The 24-year-old’s serious Achilles injury will keep him out until Christmas at the very earliest. That is an ambitious target date, though, and the bigger worry is whether he will ever reach his maximum fitness levels.
Rupturing an Achilles tendon is deemed among the worst possible injuries a footballer can suffer, and Ekitike will be aware of its effects.
His former Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Presnel Kimpembe, missed two years after a very similar injury.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies on the floor Injured holding his ankle during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies on the floor Injured holding his ankle during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
While Ekitike shouldn’t be out for that long, it is a cautionary warning sign as to the care with which his recovery must be treated.
Liverpool cannot afford to rush his return and risk the future of such a talented, expensive forward.
This means that the Reds will have Alexander Isak, who has endured his own fitness issues, as their sole senior striker for a minimum of six months.
The Reds succumbed to a lack of attacking options last season, often leaving Arne Slot hamstrung, and to give Andoni Iraola the same problems would be to severely limit his chances of success.
So, what are the solutions?
It is Alexander Isak’s time to step up
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 23, 2025: Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, September 23, 2025: Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
While Isak didn’t set his price tag himself, arriving at England’s most successful club for a British record transfer fee brings with it the expectation of being able to perform regularly.
Last season, he was unfortunate.
Having begun to look closer to his former self, after a difficult beginning to life at Anfield due to low fitness, he started to turn a corner in December.
However, as he put Liverpool ahead against Tottenham in the Reds’ final game before Christmas, the Swede had his ankle damaged and fibula fractured by Micky van de Ven’s late tackle.
Thankfully, the leg break could have been worse – he returned to training at the start of April – but then he was hit by minor muscle problems, meaning he played just 23 minutes across the final four matches of the campaign.
Sweden's Alexander Bernhardsson, Sweden's Benjamin Nygren (10) and Sweden's Alexander Isak (9) celebrate with Sweden's Viktor Gyokeres (17) after he scored to put Sweden up, 3-1, during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Sofia Yaker)
Sweden's Alexander Bernhardsson, Sweden's Benjamin Nygren (10) and Sweden's Alexander Isak (9) celebrate with Sweden's Viktor Gyokeres (17) after he scored to put Sweden up, 3-1, during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Sofia Yaker)
He used that time to get himself in shape to go to the World Cup with Sweden, for whom he played his best football in over 12 months.
Isak played almost 90 minutes in all four of their tournament outings, scoring once and notching three assists.
After losing 3-0 to France in their final match, coach Graham Potter told TV4: “[Isak] didn’t have the season he and everyone wanted him to have.
“He’s built himself up and he’s still a few games away from his peak physically. That’s what’s needed after a season like that.”
Thanks to Sweden’s round-of-32 exit, Isak should join the pre-season tour in the build-up to Liverpool’s friendly against Wrexham on July 30 (BST).
Having a relatively long pre-season should benefit the No. 9 further, though Iraola and his staff will have to be careful not to overload a player, who has a history of injury issues, with what we expect to be a more intense fitness regime.
Why a short-term striker would prove a difficult sell
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 4, 2025: Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes during the FA Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 4, 2025: Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes during the FA Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
While a fully fit and firing Isak would vastly improve Liverpool, he is not a player who can feature in every game across a 50+ match campaign.
Ekitike’s absence means there is currently no obvious rotation option for Isak.
The nature of Ekitike’s injury leaves Liverpool in a tricky position, too. In an ideal world, they would write him off from having any meaningful contribution this season.
However, finding a replacement of the same quality for just one year is nigh on impossible.
If Liverpool were to go and spend big on a centre-forward, they would be left with too many next summer. If they don’t spend at all, they are left short this year.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, January 12, 2026: Liverpool's (L-R) Florian Wirtz celebrates with team-mate Hugo Ekitike, who gave the assist, after scoring his side's third goal during the FA Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Barnsley FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, January 12, 2026: Liverpool's (L-R) Florian Wirtz celebrates with team-mate Hugo Ekitike, who gave the assist, after scoring his side's third goal during the FA Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Barnsley FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The club’s tendency has been to not buy for the short-term, preferring to make do and get by.
Towards the end of last season, Cody Gakpo filled in up front – not an ideal solution by any means – but it is in a versatile player where Liverpool’s best option may lie.
Victor Munoz is not likely to be that man; he is very much deemed as a winger. However, a player of his ilk, who can play across the front three and also help cover Liverpool’s lack of wingers, is arguably the best answer.
Jayden Danns is the solution, if his body allows
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, February 28, 2024: Liverpool's Jayden Danns celebrates after scoring the second goal during the FA Cup 5th Round match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, February 28, 2024: Liverpool's Jayden Danns celebrates after scoring the second goal during the FA Cup 5th Round match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The other resolution – and the one that is most intriguing – would be to promote from within.
If pre-season goes to plan, this could finally be Jayden Danns‘ chance to cement his first-team status, having already netted three senior goals.
Liverpool’s young striker has immense potential, but he has been the victim of multiple injuries over the last two years that have massively slowed his development.
If the 20-year-old had been fit last season, with Isak and Ekitike out, he would have surely got minutes in the Premier League.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Monday, March 16, 2026: Liverpool's Jayden Danns goes down with an injury on his return to action as Under-21's head coach Rob Page looks on during the Premier League 2 match between Manchester City FC Under-21's and Liverpool FC Under-21's at the Academy Stadium. Man City won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Monday, March 16, 2026: Liverpool's Jayden Danns goes down with an injury on his return to action as Under-21's head coach Rob Page looks on during the Premier League 2 match between Manchester City FC Under-21's and Liverpool FC Under-21's at the Academy Stadium. Man City won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Unfortunately, his hamstrings didn’t play ball and he was urged to sit out the final part of the campaign for the good of his career.
He is now back in training, though, joining the youngsters who this week returned to Kirkby to begin pre-season.
Quick, physical and an excellent finisher, a promotion for Danns would be a brilliant outcome from the current situation. His body is the only thing in the way.
Will Wright is the best of the rest
Will Wright is the other striker who is closest to making a breakthrough from the academy.
He arrived last summer for £200,000 from Salford City and played at Anfield in a friendly just hours after his official unveiling.
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Sunday, March 1, 2026: Liverpool's Will Wright celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Premier League 2 match between Liverpool FC Under-21's and Tottenham Hotspur FC Under-21's at the Liverpool Academy. Liverpool won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Sunday, March 1, 2026: Liverpool's Will Wright celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Premier League 2 match between Liverpool FC Under-21's and Tottenham Hotspur FC Under-21's at the Liverpool Academy. Liverpool won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Wright, too, fell victim to Liverpool’s injury curse before long, though, missing three months due to a knee injury sustained against Atletico Madrid U19s in September.
As the season went on, the 6’3″ striker began to reassert himself, managing three goals and three assists in his final six matches.
Using only Alexander Isak is a gamble
No certain decision is likely to be made until Iraola has had a chance to assess his options.
So much hinges on the availability of players in the market and how the club’s current strikers’ bodies fare under a new fitness plan, it is difficult to plan ahead.
One thing is for sure, though, Liverpool cannot play Isak for every minute of every match this season. Someone will have to step up when he is not there.