Danny Murphy has been a long-term advocate of Liverpool and their players ever since he represented the club.
And, this summer has been no different, with the former Liverpool midfielder often backing the Reds when needed.
The 2025-26 summer transfer window has been one of the Reds’ busiest in recent memory, and while, on paper, things seem to be going smoothly, Slot’s first-team squad still need some time to gel.
This has been made evident in their first two competitive games of the season and, since there’s still some time left in the transfer window, even more disruption could end up occurring.
Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool applauds the fans at full time during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
That is, especially since there are a couple of areas within Liverpool’s ranks that still need bolstering.
Danny Murphy thinks Alexander Isak would be forced to play for Newcastle if he stays
One of the main stories to have emerged from Anfield this summer is Alexander Isak’s potential transfer.
The striker has been Liverpool’s number one target for some time now, and even though the player and the club both want the transfer to happen, Newcastle are driving a hard bargain.
As mentioned, there is still some time for moves to be made by clubs this summer, but since there’s now less than two weeks until the window slams shut, it would be hard for Newcastle to source a solid replacement for the Sweden international.
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Which is why Isak staying at St James’ Park this summer is becoming increasingly more likely.
And, while live on talkSPORT, Murphy and Simon Jordan shared their thoughts on the saga.
“Even if Liverpool go up a bit [with their bid], I don’t see how Newcastle can let him go when they’ve got nobody to play centre-forward,” Murphy said.
“It’s just simple, what’s he going to do, he’s got his World Cup year, he’s got to keep playing to keep the interest in him if he goes next summer, what choice have you got, you’ve got to play football.
“Even if you have to apologise, you have to hold your hands up, whatever it is, he’s got to play football.”
Jordan then chipped in with his opinion and said the following: “They’ve got a £60million asset, they’ve got a three-year contract left, and we’re having this discussion about a gentleman’s agreement.
“People are actually believing it, people listen to ‘broken promises,’ then you get idiots like Jamie O’Hara on Sky saying broken promises are being made, nonsense!
“Everybody in the real world knows that if an undertaking were given to a football player that they were prepared to engage in a discussion allowing him to be sold, then it would be documented properly, in the same way his contract was documented.”
Liverpool are running out of time to sign Alexander Isak
As mentioned, Isak has been the Reds’ number one target for some time now.
The number nine is the perfect profile of a player for the way that Arne Slot lines his team up, and although the Reds may have just signed Hugo Ekitike, it wouldn’t hurt for them to have two world-class strikers.
Indeed, only one would likely be able to play at a time, but with Ekitike being able to play on the left wing if needed, a move for Isak still makes plenty of sense.
Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
However, now that there are fewer than 2 weeks left of the transfer window, time is running out, and if Liverpool don’t add another attacker to their ranks soon, they could find themselves in a spot of bother.
That is, especially when AFCON comes around and Mohamed Salah is away.