Alexander Isak has been described as Liverpool’s “dream target” in a busy summer transfer window that is set to continue with a move for a new No. 9.

After imminent deals for Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez go through, Liverpool are expected to train their sights on a signing a new centre-forward.

This could come later in the window, with many moving pieces in play, including Darwin Nunez who is attracting interest from Napoli, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and clubs in Saudi Arabia.

It could also be that Liverpool wait for the right player to become available, with Isak their “dream target since day one.”

That is according to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, writing on Threads, though he insisted that “it remains complicated” when it comes to a possible deal with Newcastle.

‘Complicated’ is not ‘impossible’, of course, but there are a number of factors to consider including Newcastle qualifying for the Champions League and therefore being in a stronger position to demand as much as £150 million.

Isak is still tied to a contract until 2028 and the club are seeking to extend that further with an improved deal to reflect his status.

But that the Swede was also mentioned by the Mail‘s Lewis Steele and the Liverpool Echo‘s Ian Doyle on Monday suggests there is no resignation from Merseyside that a transfer cannot be engineered.

“The noise that I’ve got is that they are not done and they will go for a No. 9,” Steele said on YouTube.

LONDON, ENGLAND – Tuesday, January 7, 2025: Newcastle United’s goal-scorers Anthony Gordon (L) and Alexander Isak celebrates after during the Football League Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United FC at the Emirates Stadium. Newcastle won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

On Isak, he added: “As far as we’re aware his agents, his people, have probably already spoken to Liverpool a number of times, as well as a couple of other clubs as well.

“It seems very tricky, and I’m not going to say I’ve got a sneaky feeling on it like I did with Florian Wirtz, but the noise is always there.

“It’s not going away, but there’s nothing to suggest Liverpool are ready to step up their pursuit of him just yet – or at any point this summer – but it’s one to maybe pencil in for a later date.”

Ekitike is the alternative

Hugo Ekitike (Frankfurt 11) (Image: dpa/Alamy Live News

If Isak is not available this summer and Liverpool are not minded to wait another year to sign a leading No. 9, their likely target appears to be Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.

The Reds are not alone in their interest, with Chelsea widely reported as admirers and The Athletic‘s Sebastian Stafford-Bloor writing on Tuesday that Man United had enquired into the Frenchman’s availability.

But there have been muted claims that Anfield would be Ekitike’s preferred destination, and on YouTube, Romano named him as a “concrete target for Liverpool.”

He explained: “Liverpool already spoke to the agents of the player at the end of May, they are in regular contact, so for sure Ekitike remains a player on Liverpool’s list.”

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez are two other No. 9s linked, though the latter is thought to be an unlikely signing.