Liverpool must do everything in their power to lure Alexander Isak away from Newcastle United if a deal is there to be done this summer, Reds legend John Aldridge has affirmed.
Arne Slot's men host the Magpies in Wednesday's fascinating Premier League showdown at Anfield, and Isak arrives on Merseyside on the back of making Premier League history in Newcastle's enthralling 4-3 triumph over Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
The scintillating Scandinavian has now scored more Premier League goals than any other Swedish player in history, overtaking Freddie Ljungberg's 48 with his 49th and 50th efforts in the English top flight during that seven-goal thriller.
Isak's red-hot form in the 2024-25 season has inevitably led to talk of a transfer to a Champions League-competing club, and Liverpool have been mentioned as one of the interested parties amid reports that they could try to pull off a sensational part-exchange deal involving Darwin Nunez.
Speaking exclusively to Sports Mole, Aldridge poured cold water on Liverpool's hopes of a deal but implored his old club to pull out all the stops if he becomes available, saying: "I don't think he'll happen because Newcastle will not let him go. Quite rightly so.
"You look at the Premier League now, [Erling] Haaland and [Mohamed] Salah are phenomenal strikers. Then, under that umbrella, it's Isak. I've seen him play at [Real] Sociedad, my old team, and I knew how good he was.
Liverpool have "got to do everything" to seal Isak signature
"I was hoping Liverpool would have come in for him. Unfortunately, they didn't. And Newcastle got themselves a really good buy. He's a quality finisher. In the box, he finds the corners. He's cool, calm, collected.
"Newcastle can't let him go. Unless the Financial Fair Play comes into it, but I don't know too much about that, I'm a dinosaur! But if he becomes available, Liverpool have to do everything to go out and try and get him, if that's on the cards."
As Isak continues to flourish at the tip of the Newcastle attack, Nunez is still floundering in the Liverpool system and has experienced a dramatic fall from grace since arriving in 2022 in a deal that could eventually make him the Reds' most expensive signing of all time.
The Uruguay international has scored just six goals in 35 games across all tournaments this season, and he was an unused substitute in Sunday's 2-0 win over Manchester City after Slot criticised his attitude against Aston Villa in midweek.
Nunez - whose last Premier League start came in December - was guilty of missing another seemingly easy chance at Villa Park, after which Slot claimed he did not see the South American 'working his arse off' as he usually does.
The former Benfica man is averaging just one goal almost every six games this season, but Aldridge - who netted 63 in 104 appearances for Liverpool - warned him that he has to be conjuring up one effort every two games as he reflected on his golden era of Liverpool centre-forwards.
Aldridge makes "f****** hell" remark as Liverpool great reflects on golden era of strikers
© Imago
"If you're a Liverpool striker, and I go back to Roger Hunt - my hero, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and so forth, you have to score one goal in every two games," he added.
"You look at Mo's numbers, he's a winger. That's Liverpool numbers. [Sadio] Mane and Bobby Firmino before that, you've got to hit them figures. He's not playing, Darwin, because regardless of the misses - you've got to miss them to score them - but if you want to play in the team, you've simply got to score goals.
"When Rushy came back, our first game was in the Charity Shield, and I knew it was either me, Rushy, or Peter Beardsley. I'm thinking, 'f****** hell!' First game I scored two, then the next game, Charlton, we won 3-0, I scored three.
"It's a fight. You're fighting to survive, to get your shirt on your back and start the games. And if you can't handle that pressure, then you're not a Liverpool player. You can't be a Liverpool player."
Nunez is expected to be on the bench once again in Wednesday's clash with Newcastle, where the Reds will be bidding to either maintain or extend their 11-point advantage over Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League table.
Slot could become just the fifth manager to win the Premier League in his first season in English football, and Aldridge also delivered his verdict on whether the Dutchman would become a Liverpool legend by doing so.
John Aldridge was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of talkSPORT BET.
Ben Knapton
