Luis Garcia warns Liverpool why Alexander Isak could end up being a costly transfer mistake

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Liverpool are locked in a battle of wills against Newcastle United for star striker Alexander Isak.

The Reds have been pushing to sign Isak since mid-July, having first registered their interest in the Swedish forward.

Since then, Isak has gone AWOL during Newcastle’s pre-season, and Liverpool have had an offer of £110m rejected.

Although Liverpool’s proposal for Isak would have made him the most expensive signing in British transfer history, the Magpies were not satisfied with the offer.

As long as Newcastle can find a top-level replacement for Isak, they seem open to letting him out, but it would cost Liverpool closer to £150m.

While the Reds are capable of paying such a princely sum, former player Luis Garcia has stepped in to urge them that it might be better spent elsewhere.

Luis Garcia unconvinced by Alexander Isak price tag

Although Isak is as close to a sure thing as it is possible to get in terms of a Premier League striker, he is not without his faults.

The 25-year-old has a slight history of injuries, and is officially nursing a thigh problem at the moment.

But this is seemingly not what is worrying Garcia. Instead, the Spaniard is insistent that Liverpool simply have other areas of the pitch in need of greater attention.

“I’m not sure on the price-tag,” Garcia told ESPN. “I was talking about him at Real Sociedad and the development of the player has been incredible. But the price I think is really, really high.”

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“It’s not that you’re a team who needs a centre-forward to score 30, 35 goals, you already have a player like that on the right side [Mohamed Salah], and you’ve got a lot of players who can score double figures.

“I think Isak is a fantastic player and of course he will give you something extra, but I’m not sure spending that money on a striker right now is the best thing for Liverpool.”

What do Liverpool need instead?

There is certainly credence to Garcia’s argument here. For example, Liverpool are extremely light at centre-back right now.

Instead of spending such a fee on Isak, why not reinvest a big portion into getting a truly top quality defender?

The answer should be that Liverpool can really do both. Yes, a centre-back should be a priority, but one of the best strikers in Europe is seemingly available and the Reds can afford him. It is an opportunity not to miss.

Furthermore, who is to say that Liverpool really do not need a new centre-forward of such standing? They may have bought Hugo Ekitike, but if Darwin Nunez leaves, as is expected, he is the only recognised central striker in the Liverpool squad. That is not enough.

Elsewhere, there could be an argument that the Reds are well covered across the rest of the pitch. So, if it isn’t a centre-back, then centre-forward is absolutely where they should be spending their money.