Liverpool’s front line has come under scrutiny in the wake of the Carabao Cup final. Jamie Carragher has joined the calls for a major transfer overhaul, and the Reds have a number of options ahead of the summer.
The extent of the overhaul is not entirely in Liverpool’s hands. Much hinges on whether Mohamed Salah elects to renew his contract, with Richard Hughes yet to make any progress on that front.
Even Salah has not been immune from criticism in the wake of the loss to Newcastle, where he was very quiet. But Carragher has suggested that the Egyptian has not been getting sufficient support from his teammates, with the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota failing to pull their weight.
“The other attackers that Liverpool have got are good players, not great players,” Carragher said in the aftermath of the loss to Newcastle. “They relied on him.”
Whether that’s a fair assessment of the cup final is up for debate, with the service to all of the attackers somewhat lacking. When they did get the ball, Salah was no better than any of the others.
But over the course of the campaign so far, it’s hard to argue with Carragher. Salah is streets ahead of the rest of the front line, with only Cody Gakpo also able to really reflect on his output with any genuine satisfaction. So who could Liverpool get to help Salah in the event that he remains at Liverpool beyond the end of the season? I’ve taken a look at three options.
Alexander Isak
You didn’t have to look far at Wembley to find the dream transfer option for Liverpool. He was the scorer of the second goal.
Alexander Isak has been the best striker in the Premier League this season. You could probably extend the scope of that assessment to the whole of Europe. And he’s about much more than just goals, although his tally for the season is very healthy. He is the consummate team player, a complete number nine for the modern game.
When Nunez has been at his best, he has formed a great link-up with Salah, making both of them look better. Isak would offer those contributions on a consistent basis, not only relieving the pressure on the Egyptian but elevating his game to even greater heights.
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But Newcastle’s first piece of major silverware in over 70 years is a sign of things to come. Last year, the Wembley arch turned red in the immediate aftermath of Liverpool’s win — this year, fans exiting the ground were met with Saudi colors.
That was a genuinely jarring sight. But it was also a reminder that with its rich backers, Newcastle will not be eager to surrender its best players.
To even stand a hope, Liverpool would need to table a truly absurd offer for Isak. It might still be worth it for a 25-year-old with half a decade of his peak still ahead of him, but Hughes certainly cannot put all his eggs in that particular basket.
Julian Alvarez
A left-field link that has gathered pace in the past couple of days, Julian Alvarez is a really exciting player. It was a surprise when Manchester City allowed him to leave, and he has thrived at Atletico Madrid.
Liverpool would again face a reluctant seller, with the Spanish club having only acquired Alvarez last summer. In this case, too, a big fee would need to be stumped up.
But Alvarez also has some of his best years ahead; he is marginally younger than Isak, in fact. And while Atletico would not want to lose him, there’s a feeling that money might talk a little more in these negotiations than it would with Newcastle.
(Image: Getty Images)
Capable of covering across the front line, but also well and truly an out-and-out number nine by trade, Alvarez would provide another reliable source of goals to share the burden with Salah. And he would not be a passenger out of possession, with his fierce workrate enough to endear him to Diego Simeone in a way Joao Felix never could.
Yankuba Minteh
It’s not just Nunez and Jota who have come under the microscope from Carragher and others this season. Diaz has been equally culpable, meaning Liverpool may need to be in the market for a new winger as well as a center-forward.
Of course, Gakpo is one option off the left, but Slot likes two world-class players in every position where possible. Yankuba Minteh might not have quite reached that level yet, but he’s on the way.
He worked with Slot on loan at Feyenoord last season, before Newcastle sold him to Brighton amid financial fair play worries. It’s easy to say now, but Liverpool surely missed a couple of tricks there — not only was there an opportunity to push harder for an established star like Isak or Anthony Gordon, Minteh would have been an astute signing too.
But it would not be the first time that Liverpool has allowed a player to take an intermediate step before swooping in, accepting the associated price inflation. And Minteh has settled in the Premier League over the course of the season with Brighton.
He would need to improve his goal output at Anfield to truly help out Salah, so there are question marks over whether he’d be much of an upgrade on existing options. But his expected assists are in the 84th percentile among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues, and he looks like a player who could take a further step at an even bigger club.
