Liverpool should forget Isak and Ekitike and sign Man Utd target instead

Liverpool are the latest club to have joined the long list of sides looking to add a striker to their squad this summer. The Reds have reportedly earmarked Alexander Isak as their primary target, as Arne Slot and co. gear up for the defence of their title next season.

Newcastle United have made it clear they have no intention of selling Isak, unless they can command a fee that would likely shatter the Premier League transfer record. It's anyone's guess exactly how much that could be, with some reports having suggested north of £150million might be enough to bring Newcastle to the table.

And then there's the rumoured pursuit of Hugo Ekitike as a back-up option for Isak - a player Newcastle themselves have seen an offer rejected for. The Magpies saw a bid of £70m laughed off by the Bundesliga outfit, with the expectation being Frankfurt will hold out for even more cash, having secured Champions League football themselves last term.

The bottom line is, Liverpool will likely have to fork out close to, if not more than, £100m to sign either Ekitike or Isak - significant investment on top of what's already been a busy summer. But there is a way the Reds can keep the finances in check a little bit more, by hijacking Manchester United's deal for Bryan Mbeumo.

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While Brentford have made it clear they want to be reimbursed handsomely for the Frenchman, Mbeumo's final asking price is unlikely to be anywhere near what Ekitike and Isak will cost. It's not like they'll have any issues convincing him to choose Liverpool over United anyway, given the latter aren't competing in European competition of any kind next season.

And honestly, Mbeumo could prove to be a better fit. The 25-year-old is versatile and Premier League proven, with the best years of his career still ahead of him. As seen with Darwin Nunez following his club-record arrival at the club in 2022, there's no guarantee a striker will hit the ground running, or even find their feet at all.

With Mbeumo, it's a little less risky, but with an upside that could be just as high. Plus, if it's a path Liverpool decided to go down, there'd also be landing a major blow on their bitterest rivals United, who have spent the majority of the summer chasing Mbeumo's signature, without much luck so far.