When your record signing becomes a season-long problem
Alexander Isak will miss "a couple of months" after undergoing surgery on a broken leg sustained while scoring in Liverpool's 2-1 win over Tottenham on Saturday. Arne Slot insists the British transfer record holder will return before the season ends, but the injury timeline suggests Isak's availability for Sweden's World Cup playoffs in late March is seriously doubtful. This latest setback cements what's been a borderline disastrous first season at Anfield for the $175 million man, who's played just 16 times since arriving from Newcastle in September, logging only 777 minutes with three goals and one assist.
Isak's integration problems started before he even kicked a ball for Liverpool. He spent preseason on strike trying to force his Newcastle exit, arriving at Anfield without proper fitness or tactical preparation. Slot admitted the striker went "three or four months" without serious team training, making it nearly impossible to perform at Premier League intensity immediately. "In this league you need to be on the top of your game to impact a game of football," Slot said, acknowledging it would take months for Isak to reach the level he showed at Newcastle. Just as he was finally finding form—his goal against West Ham, then another against Tottenham—this injury wipes out all that progress.
The depth crisis this injury exposes
Losing Isak wouldn't be catastrophic if Liverpool had adequate attacking depth, but they don't. Mohamed Salah is away at AFCON, Cody Gakpo is injured (rated "50/50" to face Wolves on December 27), and now their starting center forward is out for months. That leaves Hugo Ekitike as the primary attacking option, a player who's shown flashes but hasn't proven he can carry the goal-scoring burden for a team challenging for titles. Conor Bradley is also rated 50/50 for availability, further stretching Liverpool's already thin squad.
The pressure on those above Slot to strengthen in January just intensified dramatically. Liverpool spent massive money in the summer—$175 million on Isak alone—yet the squad looks light across multiple positions. Injuries and AFCON departures have exposed that lack of depth, and now Liverpool face critical matches without their record signing, their most productive winger, and potentially other key contributors. Slot can talk about "rolling sleeves up" and relying on available players, but the reality is Liverpool need bodies if they want to maintain their position at the top of the table.
The Antoine Semenyo question
Liverpool are among the Premier League clubs interested in Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, whose $87.8 million release clause can be activated by January 10. Manchester United and Manchester City are also targeting the Ghana international, who has eight goals and three assists this season. Semenyo's versatility—playing both flanks and filling in at center forward—makes him valuable for a Liverpool squad desperate for attacking options. He could plug gaps alongside Salah when he returns from AFCON and provide coverage for Ekitike while Isak recovers.
But there's a problem: Semenyo's actual output significantly exceeds his expected performance metrics. Michael Edwards, who should be keenly aware of this, will note that Semenyo's combined non-penalty expected goals and assists have dropped from 0.4 per 90 minutes last season to 0.35 this year despite better production. That suggests he's overperforming, which means regression is likely. At $87.8 million, Liverpool might be paying premium prices for a player whose numbers will normalize downward. The club historically finds bargains like Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino. Spending nearly $90 million on someone whose underlying metrics don't justify the price contradicts that strategy.
The Harvey Elliott wild card
The most obvious solution might be recalling Harvey Elliott from his loan at Aston Villa, which hasn't worked out as planned. Elliott signed a season-long loan that would become a $47.3 million permanent move after 10 appearances, but he's been stuck on five since October. Unai Emery is trying to find a "solution" for a player who, under FIFA rules, cannot play for another club this season having already appeared for Liverpool. Elliott also struggled for minutes under Slot last season, and the manager dismissed the recall option: "Harvey is an Aston Villa player and he is supposed to be going there for a year."
That response suggests Slot isn't interested in bringing Elliott back, which is strange considering Liverpool's attacking depth crisis. Elliott would be a cost-free option who knows the system and provides versatility across the front line. Yes, he didn't get much game time last season, but circumstances have changed dramatically. Liverpool are now without Isak, Salah, and potentially Gakpo. Elliott sitting unused at Villa while Liverpool scramble for attacking options makes zero sense unless Slot genuinely doesn't rate him. If that's the case, why not sell him permanently and use the money to fund a January signing who actually fits the manager's plans?
Why this season feels like a waste for Isak
Isak joined Liverpool as the third most expensive signing in football history and has barely played. His preseason strike at Newcastle destroyed any chance of proper integration. He arrived unfit, struggled to adapt to Liverpool's intensity, and just as he was finding rhythm—scoring against West Ham and Tottenham—this broken leg wipes out months of his debut season. He'll miss the World Cup playoffs with Sweden. He might not return until March or April, leaving him minimal time to actually contribute meaningfully before the season ends.
Year one with a $175 million investment should be about immediate impact, building chemistry with teammates, and proving why Liverpool paid that astronomical fee. Instead, Isak's debut campaign has been defined by fitness struggles, limited minutes, and now a multi-month injury layoff. That's not his fault entirely—Newcastle's handling of his exit created the preseason mess—but it's still a wasted season for everyone involved. Liverpool don't get production from their record signing. Isak doesn't get the fresh start he wanted. And the club is stuck figuring out how to replace him during the January window without overpaying for stopgap solutions.
What Liverpool actually need in January
Liverpool need attacking reinforcements, but whether they actually strengthen properly depends on how Edwards and the recruitment team approach the window. Semenyo at $87.8 million feels like panic buying—expensive, probably overvalued, and not aligned with Liverpool's usual strategy. A project signing like FC Midtjylland's Franculino Dju makes more sense financially but doesn't address the immediate need for goals while Isak recovers. Recalling Elliott solves depth issues without spending, but Slot doesn't seem interested.
The ideal scenario is finding a versatile forward who can contribute immediately without breaking the budget, someone in the $40-60 million range who fits Liverpool's system and provides quality depth. Whether that player exists and is available in January is another question entirely. More likely, Liverpool either overpay for Semenyo in desperation, sign a cheaper alternative who doesn't move the needle, or do nothing and hope Ekitike, Gakpo, and Salah (when he returns) can carry the load until Isak recovers. None of those options inspire confidence for a club supposedly competing for titles.
The brutal truth about Liverpool's squad planning
Liverpool spent massive money in the summer and still don't have adequate depth. That's a planning failure. Isak's injury shouldn't create a crisis if the squad was constructed properly, but it does because Liverpool relied too heavily on their record signing being available and productive immediately. They didn't account for his lack of preseason. They didn't build sufficient attacking depth. And now they're scrambling in January to fix problems that should've been addressed in August.
Slot can talk about rolling sleeves up and trusting available players, but that's manager-speak for "we don't have better options." The fans will support the team, but support doesn't score goals. Liverpool need bodies, preferably quality bodies, and they need them quickly. Whether Edwards delivers or whether this becomes another frustrating January window where Liverpool fail to adequately strengthen remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: losing Isak for months when he's barely played all season is a disaster Liverpool can't afford if they're serious about winning trophies.
