Half a year in, Liverpool's record-breaking signing is on the verge of being 'phased out'

According to a former Liverpool player, the club’s £125 million record signing might be offloaded if his disappointing performances persist.

When Liverpool broke the English football transfer record to sign Isak from Newcastle for £125 million during the summer transfer window, many believed his arrival would secure The Kop’s ability to maintain their Premier League champion status.

However, after 15 appearances under coach Arne Slot, the Swedish international has underperformed relative to his massive transfer fee, scoring only 2 goals. Meanwhile, another summer signing, Hugo Ekitike, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79 million, has scored 10 goals in 23 matches, putting significant pressure on Isak.

It should also be noted that Isak has faced fitness issues for most of his time at Liverpool, even missing the pre-season phase. In the recent 2-0 win against Brighton, Isak came on as a substitute for Ekitike with 12 minutes left. Nevertheless, Liverpool and coach Arne Slot’s patience won’t last forever, and Isak risks spending more time on the bench while Ekitike starts as the central striker.

In that scenario, the future of the 26-year-old forward will be uncertain, despite him signing a six-year contract with Liverpool in September. Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann even suggested Isak could be sold if his situation doesn’t improve before the end of the 2025/26 season.

Speaking to GOAL, Hamann said: “I’m not sure who Liverpool will sell in January, but if by March or April Alexander Isak hasn’t improved, they might discuss selling him to a club like Barcelona in the summer”.

“There will be many clubs interested in Isak because he has proven his ability at Newcastle. It also depends heavily on Ekitike’s form; if he continues to progress, Isak will find it very difficult to get playing time unless he is pushed out to the wing,” Hamann added.

It remains unclear whether Barcelona are genuinely interested in Isak, especially given the Catalan club’s financial difficulties. However, they will likely need a new striker to replace Robert Lewandowski, whose contract expires at the end of the season and who is rumored to be moving to Chicago Fire (MLS).

It’s also important to emphasize that there is no indication Liverpool are ready to sell Isak at this moment. The 26-year-old striker surely hopes to regain his form soon as Liverpool prepare to face Tottenham away on December 20.