Liverpool's Isak transfer would break record for most expensive club spend EVER

Liverpool remain keen on Alexander Isak but any deal for the Newcastle striker would need to break transfer records and mean the Reds have spent more than any club in history across a single window

Liverpool will eclipse the most expensive summer spend by any club in history if they secure a move for Alexander Isak - which would see their outlay eclipse the £400million mark.

Any move for the Newcastle forward would also likely see them break the British transfer record for the second time in a matter of months having done so when they signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen - landing the German for £116m.

Arne Slot has been aggressive in pursuing new talent in an effort to keep Liverpool at the summit of English football. After their Premier League triumph the Merseyside have bolstered their frontline and their backline. Jeremie Frimpong, like Wirtz, swapped Leverkusen for Liverpool in a deal worth £29.5m.

Milos Kerkez's impressive season saw him land a move from Bournemouth for £40m and Liverpool have also addressed their No 9 problem with the signing of Hugo Ekitike. He joined from Frankfurt in a £79m deal.

It all means Liverpool's spending sits at £289m - once Giorgi Mamardashvili's signing is also factored in - with Isak potentially increasing that total exponentially. That would almost certainly see the Reds surpass Chelsea's barely believable spend of £404m two summers ago that saw them add the likes of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

Liverpool have gone from spending almost nothing last summer to potentially breaking records this summer. Slot landed the Premier League title in his first campaign, a major achievement, but some criticised the manner of their cups exits and Champions League loss to PSG.

The Dutch manager has been keen to play down their spend, citing the money they've recouped and the gaps they've had to fill. Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have both left for more than £100m, which has left holes in the frontline, and Jarell Quansah has also sought pastures new.

Quansah's departure means the champions are also looking at new central defenders, with talks underway to sign Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi and youngster Giovanni Leoni.

Liverpool's summer spending does increase competition, which wasn't always the case last year with Slot using a very small pool of players to start games. Only 10 outfield players started a minimum of 25 games with others - the likes of Harvey Elliott - largely resigned to substitute roles.

The potential addition of Isak, who Newcastle value in the region of £150m, but maintain won't be sold, would likely leave new signing Ekitike having to find a new position or drop out of the starting XI all together.

Carragher's issue

Jamie Carragher is among those to voice concern with the club's recruitment drive and claimed it "doesn’t feel like the Liverpool way of doing things". The Reds have previously seen the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City attack the market, whilst they have attempted to take a slightly more measured approach.

But now their former player turned pundit is stunned - and not a fan of the idea that they would spend nearly £80m on a striker only to have him as a back-up to a more expensive signing.

He said on the Overlap: “He (Isak) will be an amazing signing but from a fan’s point of view for myself, I don’t want Liverpool to spend £150m on Isak. There’s something about Liverpool buying another striker (Ekitike), and he’s backup. Something about it doesn’t feel right to me.

“I look at Isak, and he’s obviously thrown his toys out the pram once Arsenal signed a striker and Liverpool signed a striker. It feels a bit messy to me now.

"For me, when I think of Liverpool, it doesn’t look really planned. I don’t think the plan is to buy a striker for £80M, and then be looking to buy another one for £120m. In terms of what Liverpool have done in the summer by bringing in players, they’ve spent a lot of money and it doesn’t feel like the Liverpool way of doing things so much.”