FSG lining up Liverpool bid to land Isak’s perfect signing at Anfield

In the view of now Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk, Alexander Isak was the “most in-form striker… in world football” just a year ago, with the Swede proceeding to sink Arne Slot’s men in the Carabao Cup final.

A terror for the very best in the Premier League, be it Van Dijk, Gabriel, or William Saliba, the former Magpies star ended 2024/25 with 27 goals in all competitions, having hit 62 in just 109 games following his club-record move to St James’ Park.

Fast forward to the present day, and the 26-year-old is yet to even hit 20 games on Merseyside, let alone 20 goals, suffering a campaign wrecked by fitness and injury woes after such a protracted summer saga.

Restricted to just five touches in the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Isak is yet to get close to the levels he showcased back on Tyneside.

Could that all change with the right signings this summer?

Liverpool lining up move to sign £21m Premier League talent

There might be a sense that throwing money at the problem isn’t the answer at Anfield this summer, yet with Mo Salah and Andy Robertson among those set to depart, this is still a squad in need of significant reinforcement.

Already, there has been talk of a deal for Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, although like Robertson, the Argentine looks destined to end up at Tottenham Hotspur, provided Roberto De Zerbi’s men can beat the drop.

Spurs’ relegation bid could also have a bearing on Liverpool’s pursuit of one key member of De Zerbi’s squad, in the form of Pedro Porro, with the Anfield Watch reporting that the Spaniard is a target for the Reds heading into the summer.

The report suggests that the former Sporting CP defender is one of the options that FSG are ‘ready to sign’ ahead of next season, hinting at a possible bid after outlining that the club are ‘lining up a move’ for the attack-minded right-back.

Those at Anfield are believed to view a move for the 26-year-old as a potential bargain in waiting, should Tottenham go down, having previously plucked Robertson from relegated Hull City back in 2017.

In terms of a price, it was reported back in February that Porro could depart for a fee of around €25m £21m)with his existing deal in north London set to expire in 2028.

Why Porro could be the perfect signing for Isak at Anfield

A lack of pre-season and a late lunge from Porro’s Tottenham teammate, Micky van de Ven, have been the key issues for Isak this season, although even when he has featured, Liverpool have rarely managed to get the best out of him.

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By Arne Slot’s own admission, the club are lacking the Jacob Murphy-esque player that Isak had back at Newcastle, the pair forming such a lethal connection under Eddie Howe’s watch.

Murphy, operating off the right flank, was such a weapon with his whipped deliveries into the penalty box, the pair having combined for 13 goals in all competitions during their time together, the most of Isak’s career to date.

In Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool’s £125m signing might well have found a new creative hub to feed off, yet with the Englishman jetting off to Real Madrid, it could well be Porro who fills that void next season.

Of course, the Spurs man has been part of a historically poor side this term, while – like Alexander-Arnold – his defensive quality has been called into question, making five errors leading to a shot in 2025/26, while having been dribbled past 1.3 times per game.

That said, the full-back “machine” – as hailed by football.london’s Alasdair Gold – has showcased in the past just what an outlet he is creatively, notably racking up seven assists and 13 ‘big chances’ created as Spurs finished fifth in 2023/24, while averaging 1.5 key passes per game.

Even last term, the £21m man still registered six assists, created ten ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.7 key passes per game.

The aforementioned Murphy, for comparison, registered 12 assists, created 16 ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.3 key passes in 2024/25, albeit while lining up as a right-winger.

Porro’s total tally of 26 assists for Spurs across all fronts certainly makes for good reading, particularly for a right-back, ensuring he could be the man to supply Isak with the goods, just as Murphy did last season.

It was that Newcastle connection which steered Howe’s men to Wembley glory last year, at a time when Isak was looking world-class by Van Dijk’s own assessment, with Porro potentially the perfect addition to allow the Scandinavian to hit those heights again.

The Spain international may have his flaws defensively, yet be it from dead-ball situations or open-play, his creative prowess is a striker’s dream.

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