Alexander Isak is to join Liverpool for a record £125 million on deadline day, but the club’s interest dates back nine years, to when he was a fresh-faced teenager.
Isak is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, which is why Liverpool have sanctioned another British transfer record to secure his signature from Newcastle.
It has been the story of the summer, but Liverpool’s pursuit of the Sweden international is not a recent development as they were interested in 2016, when Isak was just 17.
• READ: Liverpool agree £125m Alexander Isak transfer
Fotbollskanalen, a reliable source for Swedish football news, wrote in October 2016 that Liverpool “have entered the fray and want to buy out AIK’s 17-year-old talent.”
The club, led by Jurgen Klopp at the time, were “impressed” by Isak and had plans for him to train with the first team and play at academy level to continue his development.
Then 17, Isak played for Swedish side AIK and had made 22 first-team appearances and scored 10 goals, with a meeting between agents and club representatives reported.
The report came days before Michael Edwards was officially appointed as Liverpool’s sporting director, and nine years on he now works as FSG’s CEO of Football.
A move to Anfield never eventuated for the then teenager, who has since forged a career demanding a British transfer record.
Liverpool opted for Darwin Nunez over Alexander Isak
Isak went on to join Borussia Dortmund in 2017, making just 13 first-team appearances, with a successful loan at Willem prompting Real Sociedad to sign the striker for €10 million (£8.6m)
In 132 appearances for the Spanish side, Isak scored 44 times and he remained on Liverpool’s radar throughout that time, though they famously opted for Darwin Nunez in 2022 over the Swede.
Liverpool’s former director of research Ian Graham told the Financial Times: “In 2022, he [Klopp] signed Darwin Nunez instead of Alexander Isak.
“Both players, if you look at top young centre-forwards in Europe, they would be number one and two — or two and three but [Erling] Haaland was going to City and out of our price range. Jurgen preferred Nunez.”
The trajectories of both strikers is well-documented, with Nunez failing to live up to expectations as Isak went on to establish himself as one of the world’s leading strikers, with 62 goals in 109 Newcastle appearances.
There is plenty of room for ‘what ifs’ at Anfield, but Liverpool have bided their time and are now to reap the benefits of a player at his prime.
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