When he was manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp almost never made a mistake. The Reds were playing top-tier football on the field thanks to the German’s astute transfer market management. His nearly nine-year tenure in the Anfield dugout is largely uncritical.
But his failure to sign Alexander Isak was one mistake that might come back to haunt his old employers. Liverpool’s ‘dream’ summer acquisition has been dubbed Newcastle United’s talisman, but a deal is reportedly difficult to close.
For interested teams, Isak’s ascent to prominence as one of the world’s top strikers has created issues. If the Magpies are to relinquish their valuable possession anytime soon, they will have to get hefty compensation. There have been rumors of a transfer fee of much over £100 million.
Why Klopp Decided Against Signing Alexander Isak
Liverpool’s recruitment team ‘wanted’ the forward
The Swede could have been playing at Anfield every single week in a different universe. According to Sky Sports, Liverpool ‘wanted’ to sign Isak in 2022 when he was playing for Real Sociedad. Well, at least the hiring staff did.
During Klopp’s early years at the club, the Reds were given the opportunity to strike before players attained elite status. See Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah. But the German manager had other ideas, even though Merseyside’s decision-makers wanted to make a bid for Isak.
He even got what he wanted. Instead, Klopp and Pep Ljinders, his then-assistant manager, lobbied for the Reds to sign Darwin Nunez, a forward for Benfica. The Uruguayan’s suitability was reportedly questioned within the team, and Klopp was even cautioned against bringing Nunez to England.
But Liverpool approved a deal for Nunez, so those worries were ignored. The 25-year-old has only scored 40 goals in three complete seasons, falling short of Klopp’s expectations. Isak, on the other hand, has scored 22 more goals in 40 less games since joining Newcastle and has been an absolute revelation.
Without much help from Nunez or center-forward substitute Diogo Jota, Arne Slot’s team easily won the 2024–25 Premier League. One can only fathom the amazing heights the Reds would have attained if Isak had been the player wearing the number nine at the club.
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