Liverpool's Striker Hunt: Hugo Ekitike or Alexander Isak - Who's the Perfect Target?
After enduring another campaign of Darwin Núñez's inconsistent performances, Liverpool have determined it's time to bring in a fresh centre-forward.
The Merseyside club are operating from a position of power following their Premier League triumph last term, but recognize they must invest heavily to secure their future No.9. They have narrowed their options to two candidates: Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitiké and Newcastle United's Alexander Isak.
Both transfers present significant challenges, and Liverpool must make their final choice between these two towering forwards to bolster Arne Slot's talented roster. Regardless of their selection, they'll be acquiring one of Europe's most promising talents.
Here's an in-depth analysis of how Ekitiké and Isak stack up against each other and which player the Reds should pursue.
Age and Experience
Liverpool require their new striker to make an immediate impression. Following the unsuccessful Núñez experiment, the Reds need someone who can instantly contribute and reassure the Anfield supporters. From this perspective, Isak stands out as the clear choice.
The Newcastle forward is not only 25, giving him more professional experience than 23-year-old Ekitiké, but he's also a proven Premier League performer. He's completed three campaigns with the Magpies and has shown consistent improvement each year, while still possessing room for further development. There's no question that Isak, in the proper environment, can compete with the world's finest players.
Ekitiké lacks English football experience but has featured for one of Europe's powerhouses. The French striker moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Reims at age 20 and failed to make a substantial mark for the Ligue 1 champions, scoring only four goals in 33 outings. This disappointing spell led to his transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt where Ekitiké has flourished, though questions remain about his limited top-level experience.
Goalscoring Returns
Ekitiké demonstrated his tremendous potential during 2024–25 with an outstanding scoring campaign. Having never exceeded 11 goals in a senior season before, the France youth international delivered an impressive 22 goals and 12 assists across 48 matches for Frankfurt, doubling his goal output from his breakthrough campaign with Reims in 2021–22.
Liverpool must determine whether they believe last season's production is sustainable for Ekitiké and if it justifies investing a substantial fee in a striker without multiple prolific seasons to his name.
Isak represents the more secure option in this area. While his early transfer to Borussia Dortmund didn't succeed, he fulfilled his promise after joining Real Sociedad, netting 43 goals over three complete seasons in Spain. Following a 10-goal debut campaign with Newcastle, he's subsequently delivered 25 and 27-goal seasons at the elite level, troubling defenses—including Liverpool's—throughout the Premier League.
Price
If not for Isak's astronomical transfer fee, there would be no debate about Liverpool's preferred target. Newcastle are seeking £120-£150 million ($160.9-$201.1 million) for their star player, with the Reds extremely unlikely to commit such resources to the Swedish striker having already secured a deal worth up to £116 million ($155.5 million) for Florian Wirtz this summer.
Isak's valuation is excessive but considering his proven record and upside, it might prove a shrewd acquisition for the Reds. Ekitiké's attraction lies in his significantly lower cost.
The Frankfurt striker will still command a hefty fee, but the Bundesliga club are expected to accept an offer around £70-90 million ($93.9-$120.7 million) for their dynamic forward, potentially costing half of Isak's price. Whether this represents value remains uncertain, but it's considerably less risky for the Reds—particularly if they can recover much of that investment by offloading Núñez.
Final Verdict
In an ideal world, Liverpool would acquire Isak. The Newcastle striker has already reached elite status and possesses established Premier League credentials. He understands English football, has massive room for growth and is a prolific scorer, consistently overwhelming defenders like Virgil van Dijk and William Saliba. No higher praise exists for a striker.
Nevertheless, considering Liverpool's substantial summer expenditure, Ekitiké seems the superior choice. A more reasonable price point might prove irresistible for the Reds, while he possesses comparable qualities to Isak—pace, aerial ability, excellent positioning and clinical finishing.
Dealing with Frankfurt will be considerably easier than negotiating with Newcastle, given the latter's determination to retain Isak, which likely explains why Liverpool have already pursued Ekitiké.
The Reds appear to have identified Ekitiké as their primary summer target, knowing they'll be securing one of football's most exciting attacking talents.