Arne Slot insists Liverpool have the firepower to defend their Premier League title even if they fail to land prime target Alexander Isak.
Liverpool are aware they will be heading into the lion’s den at St James’s Park and Slot is braced to feel the full fury of the locals, who have been enraged by Isak’s determination to leave after the champions had a £110million bid rebuffed last month.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will return with a new bid before the window closes – though it certainly should be ruled out – but, regardless of how this plays out, Slot is convinced he will have enough striking options at his disposal to get his team through.
That observation will raise the eyebrows of some observers, who believe an injury to Hugo Etikite, Mo Salah or Cody Gakpo would be ruinous – that is without even mentioning the fact Salah could miss seven games when he goes to the African Cup of Nations.
Slot, however, is sure he can make things work and has pointed to the arrival of Florian Wirtz, who has the capacity to play as ‘false nine’ and in other attacking positions, as being transformational for Liverpool.
‘It depends how you want to look at it,’ said Slot. ‘If you want to add Florian Wirtz as an attacking option then you can make it five, so yeah, we’ve sold Darwin (Nunez) and brought in Hugo. Lucho has gone, you can maybe see Florian as a replacement for that.
Arne Slot insists Liverpool have enough firepower even if they don’t sign Alexander Isak
Some believe an injury to Mo Salah or Hugo Ekitike would be ruinous for the champions
A £110million bid for Isak was rejected and it remains to be seen whether the Reds return
‘Yes, we all know what happened to Diogo (Jota). If you look at it like this, maybe we haven’t (got enough) but Jeremie Frimpong, when he is fit, is definitely an option to play as a winger as well, so then we end up at six forwards!’
It will be interesting to see how Slot deploys Wirtz as there were moments during his Premier League debut against Bournemouth when he looked like a man trying to cross a motorway: his quality is obvious but the pace of the game had left him gasping.
‘I would consider him for more games in that (false nine) position,’ Slot, who is debating whether to use Joe Gomez at right-back for the hamstrung Frimpong, confirmed. ‘But there were games last season – Man City and Aston Villa away – where we played with an extra midfielder like Curtis Jones.
‘But it depends not only on bringing in an extra midfielder but it depends on tactics, how they line up, all these kinds of things. He is already an option to play as a left winger and he can be an option for the upcoming game. Cody played a good game against Bournemouth as well.’
Understandably, given the strained relationship between the clubs, Slot has tiptoed around the subject of Isak all summer. He has sympathy in some respects for Eddie Howe, his counterpart who he one day expects will manage England, but equally recognises the threat Newcastle pose.
‘It was very intense the last time we played there,’ said Slot.
‘And it always is when they play at home, let alone an evening game, it is always so, so, so intense. So I am not sure if this is an extra reason for them. I am not even sure if that is what the players and the manager are thinking as well.
‘Social media and people write a lot but is this truly what the players and the manager is thinking? I don’t know, I have no clue. What I do know is we’re going to face a very, very good team and that is even more difficult than playing in that stadium, with their fans.
Isak is determined to leave St James’ Park and Slot admitted he has sympathy for Eddie Howe
‘I have sympathy for Eddie. I think he is a great human being, he is always polite and that is my general feeling about him. It is maybe no coincidence I have texted him as he is a very honest and polite colleague.
‘For the rest, I don’t need to have sympathy for a manager that can still play Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga, Jacob Murphy.’
