Liverpool Face Striker Dilemma as Andoni Iraola Weighs Alexander Isak Cover

Liverpool have reached that awkward point in squad building where every answer seems to create another question. The striker issue is the latest example. With Hugo Ekitike facing a long road back and Alexander Isak carrying the burden of expectation after his own injury trouble, the temptation to dive back into the market is obvious. So is the danger.

Boudewijn Zenden has sounded a note of caution over any move for another high-cost centre-forward when speaking to the Liverpool Echo. It is a warning rooted in common sense rather than fear. Liverpool have already committed huge money to the position, and there comes a point when stockpiling talent starts to look less like planning and more like panic.

Alexander Isak injury concern shapes transfer thinking

The problem for Andoni Iraola is straightforward enough. Ekitike is out for a prolonged period, Isak needs to stay available, and the fixture list will not show much sympathy. That leaves Liverpool balancing short-term necessity against longer-term harmony.

Zenden put it plainly when he said: “Hugo Ekitike suffered a really bad injury that will set him back a long time. The club has a decision to make with his temporary absence.

“Liverpool tried to fill the gap last season by playing Cody Gakpo as a central striker, which I don’t think is his best position; but if you sign another striker, it will probably cost £80m.

“Then, suddenly, when everyone is fit, you’ve spent three times that amount and have two unhappy players on the bench. It’s not an easy situation to manage as a club.

“Who is first choice at Liverpool will depend on the fitness of Alexander Isak. If he can start the season well and stay fit, he will be in contention. However, it’s not easy for a player returning from an eight-month injury [Ekitike] to immediately regain his spot in the first team.”

Those remarks get to the heart of it. Liverpool could easily throw another £80m at the problem, but football squads are not built on transfer fees alone. They are built on clarity, trust and dressing-room balance. If three expensive forwards are chasing one role, somebody is going to feel short-changed.

Hugo Ekitike absence leaves Liverpool short up front

There is no getting away from the practical concern. If Isak suffers another setback before Ekitike is ready, Iraola may have to improvise. Cody Gakpo can fill in through the middle, but it blunts parts of his game. Florian Wirtz has the intelligence to operate as a false nine, but that would be a solution borrowed from necessity rather than preference.

This is where recruitment has to be smarter than merely expensive. Liverpool do not need to collect centre-forwards like trophies on a shelf. They need a forward line that can bend without breaking. A versatile attacker, someone comfortable from the right and capable of leading the line when needed, would give Iraola options without clogging the same lane.

Bradley Barcola type option may suit Liverpool better

That is why the wider conversation makes sense. A player in the mould of Bradley Barcola would cover multiple needs at once. He could address the vacancy on the right while also offering emergency support centrally. In pure squad-building terms, that feels cleaner and more sustainable than another blockbuster move for a specialist number nine.

Liverpool have made enough major bets in this area already. The next decision should be about fit, not noise. Iraola inherited a side that needs careful shaping after a turbulent year. Spending big again might satisfy the urge to act, but it would do nothing to guarantee stability.

Our View

There is an understandable urge to demand another striker because injuries leave scars on the mind. Once you have seen a season wobble because bodies break down, you start wanting insurance for the insurance.

But there is a difference between depth and congestion. If Liverpool go and spend another £80m or more on a central striker, the squad starts to feel lopsided. That money has to solve several problems, not just one possible issue in one position. The right side of the attack needs thought, flexibility matters, and Iraola will want players who suit his shape rather than names collected for reassurance.

Isak staying fit is the hinge point. If he does, Liverpool can breathe and make calmer decisions. If he does not, every debate gets louder. That is why the smarter route feels obvious, find an attacker who can play across the front line, trust the manager to coach solutions, and avoid creating a queue of expensive talent waiting for one shirt.

Supporters can live with calculated risk. What they struggle with is waste. Liverpool need to be brave enough to resist the easy headline and clever enough to build a squad that still makes sense when everyone is fit again.