Isak injury forces Liverpool to accelerate huge January signing after goalscorer chooses Anfield | OneFootball

Liverpool fear Alexander Isak has suffered a ‘serious’ injury and the expectation is the Reds will now wrap up a deal to sign Antoine Semenyo who has chosen Liverpool above all others.

Isak suffered an injury in the act of scoring against Tottenham on Saturday. Micky van de Ven’s last-ditch challenge scissored Isak’s leg, and after the Swede received medical attention on the field, he was helped off by two medical personnel.

Liverpool will conduct further tests and eagerly await the results of an MRI scan. But according to multiple trusted sources reporting on Sunday evening, the fear coming out of Liverpool is Isak’s injury is serious.

Both The Times’ Paul Joyce and David Ornstein of The Athletic reported as much. Ornstein has specified the ‘serious’ problem is a suspected leg break which could sideline him for a few months.

The injury comes at a brutal time for Liverpool who are without Mohamed Salah for around a month. The Egyptian is away at AFCON, while his long-term future at the club still remains uncertain anyway.

Cody Gakpo is currently sidelined with a muscle injury, leaving Arne Slot with just Hugo Ekitike, Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha as recognised forwards. Neither Chiesa or Nguomha are trusted by Slot, with neither player starting a single Premier League match this season.

Accordingly The Athletic hinted Liverpool will now accelerate plans to provide Slot with a much-needed new forward in January.

Bournemouth’s Semenyo was specifically namechecked in the piece, with the £65m he can be signed for viewed as value for money by Reds chiefs.

What’s more, The Guardian have now backed up our reporting from earlier in December on Semenyo favouring a move to Anfield.

The 25-year-old’s preferred destination is Liverpool, with fellow suitors Manchester City his second choice and Manchester United third.

Tottenham – despite being prepared to make Semenyo their highest paid player – are not fancied at all by the winger.

The Bournemouth ace is equally adept at operating on either flank and only Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago – who are both strikers – have outscored the winger in the Premier League this season.

Another option open to Liverpool to bolster their attacking ranks is negotiating the return of Harvey Elliott from his disastrous loan spell with Aston Villa.

Elliott continues to be omitted from matchdays squad, with Villa having no intention of giving the player 10 appearances in their colours. If Elliott were to play 10 times during the loan, Villa would be forced into signing Elliott next summer for £35m, which they have no intention of doing.

There is no recall clause in play, meaning Liverpool must negotiate Elliott’s return with Villa from scratch.

But of course, the Semenyo route is both the sexier and more practical option for Liverpool given Slot did not show any great faith in Elliott last season.