Forget Alexander Isak - Liverpool's best new striker option is another Premier League rival's superstar

With Liverpool finally turning the page on Darwin Nunez this summer after three regressive seasons, Arne Slot was targeting a striker even before the tragic passing of Diogo Jota, but that need is unfortunately now greater than ever.

Newcastle’s Alexander Isak would improve all but about three teams in world football and Liverpool have registered interest, though the Magpies are understandably desperate to keep hold of their star 25-year-old and hold the cards with three years remaining on the Swede’s contract.

That said, the talismanic forward is moving ever closer to the exit door, with fresh reports from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano suggesting he has informed Newcastle of his desire to explore a move elsewhere this summer.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have announced the signing of Hugo Ekitike for £69m but their pursuit of Isak backs up what the Frenchman’s play and numbers indicate - he’s far from the finished article yet and could do with phasing into Slot’s first-choice starting XI. In short: if you thought the Isak to Liverpool saga was ended by Ekitike’s arrival at Anfield, you’d be way off.

Whoever Liverpool end up signing, it’s looking like a saving grace for the rest of the Premier League that Trent Alexander-Arnold did leave Merseyside on a free transfer instead of the close to £100m that he likely could’ve produced in a bidding war to help the Reds fund a triple-signing of Ekitike, Harry Kane and the research to resurrect Diego Maradona.

However, another Premier League-proven player could be the perfect man to lead the line next season, as Ollie Watkins has all the qualifications to complete Slot’s superteam.

Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins could revolutionise Liverpool side

Arne Slot’s starting side next season will be built to allow Florian Wirtz to maximise his potential and lift the team around him, and Watkins would be a brilliant compliment to the record-breaking German.

Watkins is a complete centre-forward, capable of contributing to his team in whatever way they require, but his first-class movement would be a particularly effective foil to Wirtz whose freedom has wreaked havoc on Bayer Leverkusen and Germany’s opponents in the last two seasons.

His ability to work himself into threatening positions combined with that clinical finishing has returned a strike rate of a goal contribution every 1.5 full games in claret and blue, as he’s just as effective on the counter as against a low block.

And Watkins’ partnership with Morgan Rogers, which produced 11 joint goal participation actions last season, shows he’s capable of combining fantastically with a free-spirited attacking midfielder. Watkins has already shown he can perform on the biggest stages too, notching five European goals and four assists in his last two seasons to support his double-figure goal tallies in all five of his Premier League campaigns.

Aston Villa warded off substantial interest of around £80m for Watkins in January but after a PSR scare this summer they may be more open to parting with the 29-year-old for a similar fee, particularly as interest in Rogers grows from Premier League rivals.

Ollie Watkins would help Liverpool avoid another Darwin Nunez disaster

Clubs not named Manchester United don’t spend in excess of £50m on players unless they’re talented, so there’s a reason Ekitike is one of the hottest prospects on the transfer market right now. The languid Frenchman is a demon with the ball at his feet - ranking in the top 4% of forwards in Europe’s top five league in successful take-ons - and adept at converting those into chances.

He was in the top 6% of Bundesliga forwards for chance creation last season and his 117 shots on goal in the league was higher than any other player too, while his xG of 21.6 was second only to Serhou Guirassy. However, Ekitke only finished joint-sixth in the scoring charts - level with teammate Omar Marmoush despite the Egyptian’s January move to England and behind Patrik Schick who had an xG of just 12.5.

So he’s not the finished article, meaning Liverpool risk making another young striker one of their most expensive signings of all time and forcing him to quickly adapt to the English football as they did with Darwin Nunez (who signed for the Reds aged 22) at his detriment, without an established alternative.

However, Watkins’ presence would mean Liverpool could ease Ekitike into the first team while allowing him to sharpen his finishing and adjust to Premier League at his own pace rather than immediately leading the line with the pressure of a title defence on his shoulders.

Turning 30 in 2025, Watkins is unlikely to be the focal point of Liverpool’s attack for the next decade, but Torquay’s finest has a solid injury record so Slot would be able to tailor his integration of Ekitike around a reliable front-man.

So while £150m is undeniably a lot to spend on strikers in a single transfer window, the opportunity to solidify Liverpool’s post-Salah plan and continue building a squad set to compete at the very highest level into the 2030s is one that shouldn’t be rejected lightly.