£80m Liverpool star left with DOUBTS after club's bombshell decision | OneFootball

£80m Liverpool star left with DOUBTS after club's bombshell decision | OneFootball

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·25 November 2025

£80m Liverpool star left with DOUBTS after club's bombshell decision

Article image:£80m Liverpool star left with DOUBTS after club's bombshell decision

Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak

Liverpool went into the summer wanting to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United. The Magpies, however, weren't willing to sell - not at first, anyway.

The saga dragged on enough that Liverpool bought Hugo Ekitike, that the necessity for another striker was there after Diogo Jota's tragic passing. The club spent a lot of money on Ekitike to make him their star striker.


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However, Liverpool then went and bought Isak anyway right at the end of the window. They broke the British transfer record to do so and that was something of a controversial decision.

Isak and Ekitike, after all, both play the same position. They want to be through the middle as no.9s but the Reds only play with one leading striker.

Journalist Romain Molina claims this created real doubts for Ekitike as it felt like he was being somewhat replaced before he'd even really started. Molina believes it was an example of poor management from Liverpool, who didn't appear to have a clear plan, and started their new striker off on the wrong foot.

It was a strange one. Ekitike almost certainly doesn't join Liverpool if Isak is already there - he wanted to move somewhere he'd be the main man.

And the club's decision to spend over £200m on two players for one starting position is undoubtedly a unique one. Right now, it doesn't look like it was the 'right' one, either.

Time will tell and Ekitike is certainly young enough to not lose too much while playing second fiddle for a bit. But Liverpool unquestionably created a difficult situation for themselves here.

A very expensive, difficult situation.

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