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Richard Hughes is rubbing his eyes: £30m forward deal is everything he wanted
TL;DR
Liverpool has made significant investments in their forward line, acquiring Hugo Ekitike for £69m and Alexander Isak for a British record £125m. However, Ekitike is now facing a lengthy injury that could sideline him for up to a year.
Key points
- Liverpool spent around £200m on new forward signings last summer.
- Hugo Ekitike was signed for £69m from Eintracht Frankfurt.
- Alexander Isak was acquired for a British record fee of £125m.
LiverpoolEintracht FrankfurtNewcastle
Richard Hughes is rubbing his eyes: £30m forward deal is everything he wanted
Liverpool improved their strikeline with around £200m worth of new signings last summer.
Hugo Ekitike came on board from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69m while a British record fee went on Alexander Isak. The Premier League champions paid £125m to Newcastle for the Swedish hitman - with Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz among those to make way.
But those alterations have so far not altogether paid off. Ekitike was an instant hit - scoring 17 times in his debut season - but injury looks set to rule the 23-year-old out of action for up to a year.
Additionally Isak has suffered an injury-hit season with a broken leg endured back in December. And in all honesty we are still waiting for the best of the 26-year-old to be seen.
Isak’s robustness has been consistently under scrutiny and it would be a folly to go into the 2026/27 season with him as the only senior, available striker.
Liverpool eyeing up a striker deal
That’s why links to a new frontman in the upcoming transfer window make sense. It’s been reported that Richard Hughes will ONLY consider bargains or loan deals - considering there are other priorities that need to be addressed.
Q&A
What was the total amount Liverpool spent on new forwards last summer?
Liverpool spent around £200m on new forward signings last summer.
How much did Liverpool pay for Alexander Isak?
Liverpool paid a British record fee of £125m to Newcastle for Alexander Isak.
How long is Hugo Ekitike expected to be out due to injury?
Hugo Ekitike is expected to be out of action for up to a year due to injury.