Alexander Isak would be Liverpool's first-choice number nine if he arrived at the club from Newcastle United this summer, but there is a way to fit both him and Hugo Ekitike in the same starting XI, a former Reds Champions League finalist has exclusively told Sports Mole.
There were two major twists to the protracted Isak transfer saga on Tuesday evening, where the Sweden international was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year but decided not to attend the ceremony amid the incessant speculation.
Isak issued a statement on Instagram expressing gratitude for his nomination, while finally breaking his silence on his future, accusing Newcastle of broken promises and affirming that the relationship between him and the Magpies "cannot continue".
Newcastle fired back at their leading marksman, who was the subject of a rejected British-record bid from Liverpool this summer, and it remains to be seen if the Reds go back in for another attempt following Hugo Ekitike's strong start to life at Anfield.
However, Jermaine Pennant - a 2006-07 UCL finalist with Liverpool - believes that it is not a case of either or if Isak signs, saying: "If you've got Isak, he's your starter.
Isak to Liverpool transfer "no issue" for Ekitike minutes
Newcastle United's Alexander Isak on January 4, 2025
"He's your main guy. There's no question or denying that. Ekitike, the thing with him, he's not just structured to the number nine role.
"He can play off the left, cutting inside as an inside forward, linking up with Isak. If Isak was to make the transfer, I wouldn't be surprised if you see both of them playing.
"Ekitike on the left-hand side and Isak down the middle. He can also play a little bit deeper as a number 10 as well. Having both of them in the team is not an issue at all.”
Ekitike unsurprisingly made his full Premier League debut as a centre-forward in Liverpool's 4-2 win over Bournemouth, where he scored the first goal of the 2025-26 top-flight season before also teeing up Cody Gakpo to write a new page of history.
The former Eintracht Frankfurt forward became the first-ever French player to both score and assist on his Premier League debut, and barring any significant Isak developments over the next few days, Ekitike will be expected to start against Newcastle themselves on Monday night.
How Liverpool's lineup could be impacted by Isak transfer, Ekitike presence
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike in action on July 30, 2025
So many questions, so few answers.
One question on the lips of several supporters may be why Isak is doing his utmost to force a move to Liverpool when Ekitike has seamlessly slotted into Arne Slot's system, although the Reds' attack does suddenly look thin on the ground.
Diogo Jota's tragic death, coupled with the sales of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, have deprived Liverpool of three central options, and an injury to Ekitike would leave Slot with the worst kind of selection dilemma.
However, if Isak were to arrive and stay fit alongside Ekitike, the former starting up top and the latter featuring off the left would most likely mean Florian Wirtz occupying the number 10 role, with Mohamed Salah strutting his usual stuff on the right-hand side.
As a result, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch would be fighting for two places at the base of the midfield; each member of the trio has their own specialities, but the Szoboszlai-Mac Allister pairing does not inspire confidence from a defensive point of view.
Gravenberch missed the win over Bournemouth due to the birth of his child, and the Premier League champions looked especially vulnerable in his absence, having thrown away a 2-0 lead before prevailing courtesy of a late show.
Therefore, if Slot were to insist on having Ekitike and Isak in the same team, he would have to sacrifice Gravenberch's defensive nous, Szoboszlai's relentless energy or Mac Allister's all-around engine-room excellence - only he can answer whether that is a risk worth taking.
Jermaine Pennant was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of 7bet football betting.
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