Arne Slot must be waking up like a kid on Christmas morning every day this summer.
The Dutchman’s next shiny new toy is seemingly never too far away. Liverpool’s summer spending is edging towards £300 million ($400 million), having rejuvenated at fullback and significantly bolstered their attack with the record-breaking arrival of Florian Wirtz.
The coveted Hugo Ekitiké has joined Wirtz at Anfield, yet Slot, despite already reinventing his attack is ready to pursue another superstar: Alexander Isak.
Some will wonder whether the addition of the Newcastle United striker is overkill, but Slot, who balanced his squad perfectly last season to lead Liverpool to the Premier League title, will have his plans for having two premier strikers in his ranks for 2025–26 and beyond.
Here’s how Liverpool could line up with Isak and Ekitiké.
Two-Striker System
Before Omar Marmoush joined Manchester City in January, he worked in destructive tandem with Ekitiké at Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Frenchman’s success working as part of a strike duo means he could work alongside Isak at Anfield, although that would likely require a shift in approach from Slot. Without the ball, there would be little need for change. Liverpool often defended in a 4-2-4 shape last season, with advanced midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai joining the first pressing line.
Instead, the two strikers will lead the Reds’ press, with Liverpool likely to shift to more of a 4-4-2 in possession, although there’d be scope to morph further, potentially into a 3-2-5 configuration, depending on the positions of both fullbacks.
A two-striker system shouldn’t hinder Mohamed Salah down the right, while Cody Gakpo is the most senior option down the left. However, some will question where record-signing Wirtz fits into the equation. Moreover, Isak and Ekitiké’s similar habits in terms of the positions they like to take up may limit their success as a partnership.
The Frenchman navigated this potential issue superbly with Marmoush.
Free Rotation Out Wide
Slot’s default was a fluid 4-2-3-1 last season, and Ekitiké previously performed as a wide forward when Frankfurt adopted a back four. The Frenchman is no winger, but he’s adept at withdrawing from a striker position and drifting out wide.
Ekitiké tends to float out to the left, where he can receive possession and cut infield. After moving inside, he can then combine with the striker in and around the opposition’s box. Isak, as Marmoush did, would benefit from his partner’s ability to escape pressure and break games open with his dribbling ability. The Swede is excellent at hanging on the last shoulder of defenders and timing his runs in behind perfectly.
Isak could thus get the nod up top in a 4-2-3-1 with Ekitiké starting wide left, but the fluidity Slot preaches between his attackers means the two will constantly occupy one another’s zones. Isak is also comfortable rotating out to the left flank, producing one of the assists of the 2023–24 season at Goodison Park after working his way down the touchline and bamboozling a string of Everton defenders before teeing up Jacob Murphy.
Room for One
Ekitiké’s talent is off the charts, but the 23-year-old is not the finished article. Isak, on the contrary, ranked among the best-performing strikers in Europe last season. He’s as Premier League proven as it gets.
His desire to leave Newcastle has piqued Liverpool’s interest, who may well have been happy with signing Ekitiké and only Ekitiké to bolster their striker depth chart this summer.
While Slot would ideally find a way of getting both summer additions in the same starting XI, there may only be room for one. The Liverpool boss has to consider German superstar Wirtz, which renders a two-striker system unlikely. Moreover, there’s no guarantee that Ekitiké and Isak will strike the sort of relationship that brought the Frenchman so much success alongside Marmoush at Frankfurt,
From a balance perspective, it simply might not work. Slot may be content with having Gakpo wide left, Salah on the opposite side, while Wirtz operates off the shoulder of Isak. Ekitiké could initially be eased in.
READ THE LATEST LIVERPOOL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Liverpool Could Line Up With Both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.