Alexander Isak to Liverpool feels like a matter of when, not if.
While some Gooners may have hoped Arsenal would attempt a hijack, it is clear they will not, despite Isak being one of their alleged dream targets.
The Gunners still appear to harbour doubts over the ex-Real Sociedad star.
Meanwhile, with reports emerging that a Saudi Pro League side is prioritising a move for Darwin Núñez, the South American’s exit could significantly boost Liverpool’s transfer kitty.
After their initial bid of £110 million plus add-ons was rejected, Liverpool will be hoping an improved offer is accepted by Newcastle, who themselves are keen to pull off a headline Benjamin Sesko swoop.
Isak pursuit shows Liverpool’s intent
While the suggestion is that Arsenal will not be overly concerned if Isak joins Liverpool, especially if they land Eberechi Eze, they may have reason to worry, according to pundit Don Hutchinson.
“No, no, you’d have to say Liverpool [are favourites for the title],” Hutchinson said on the ESPN FC podcast when discussing the potential Isak switch.
“On top of what they’ve done last season, they’ve just signed Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, have replaced their full-backs, and they’ve not really lost anyone.
I still think Luis Díaz was a very, very good player to lose, but I understand he wants to move.
“Cody Gakpo is going to play in that position, or Ekitike might play on the left-hand side.
If they sign Isak, I mean it’s pretty much game over.”
Liverpool have undoubtedly had a game-changing summer window.
Arsenal must fix key weaknesses fast
Even without Isak, if Liverpool’s new signings click, it was always going to be tougher for Arsenal to knock them off the top.
Arsenal’s best bet is to ensure they have a strong window on their own terms. While landing Eze would be a statement, it is not enough.
The left-wing struggles in pre-season are plain to see.
If not addressed with a top signing, it could be the difference between Arsenal and this Liverpool super team.
And that might see Hutchinson’s prediction come true.
Thoughts Gooners?
Daniel O
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It’s not about what Liverpool is signing
It’s about how Arteta addresses his predictable tactical
Arteta has very predictable tactics
Lewis-Skelly drift into Midfield
Rice make overlapping runs
And overloading Right hand side with Saka and Odegaard
And keep rolling the ball sideways on the age of the box without penetrating the opponent’s defence
This is the problem
No matter how many players we buy, we cannot win anything with these predictable tactics
Exactly right, if “one Liverpool signing could kill Arsenal’s title hopes,” then we never really had a chance anyway.
Our results are determined by what we do, not whomever Liverpool sign.
Changing players but repeating tactics won’t overcome the same obstacles that trouble and stall us.
Gyokeres is a clinical finisher, a real threat centrally and running in behind. I hope Arteta capitalizes on this, instead of using Gyokeres as a facilitator like with Gavertz and Jesus.
Talent, depth, rotation, we have it all now, so it is on Arteta and his tactics to deliver.
If we can do that, I don’t care what Liverpool does. I believe we will still have the best defense, improved midfield, and added a clinical finisher to an attack already scoring goals.
Last paragraph spot on Durand 👍
Liverpool are considered favourites before they’ve even signed Isak. So, of course, if they sign him it’s natural that they will be considered stronger favourites.
It’s overly simplistic to state that what another club does is irrelevant. Liverpool themselves picked up over 90 points in a season but didn’t win the league.
It’s also not just about tactics. The tactics you deploy are related to the players you have. Arsenal have some very good players but clearly don’t have world class players in every position. Arsenal have signed a good striker, who is as yet unproven in the biggest leagues. So we need to see how he does.
If Liverpool sign Isak it’s quite understandable that many would expect them to win. Arsenal won’t be out of it but it is likely to be more difficult.
But David, we were favourites over Liverpool last year. And look how that turned out. You do like an excuse or three.
And don’t worry about them losing Diaz? And not replacing him.
It looked and read like an opinion to me Reggie.
What that Liverpool are favourites?
Well Reggie
They won at a canter last year so why not? But of course it’s down to Arteta so we certainly won’t 😊
But we were favourites?
Just shows then. That’s why I rarely bet.
Thats my point.
“ I believe we will still have the best defense,”
Whaaaaaat?
Have you actually watched any Arsenal games in 2025?
You are right
You are right
I think in all the excitement of the summer signings (so far) for Arsenal some fans seemed to have overlooked the fact that Arsenal certainly isn’t alone in strengthening their squad. Not only Liverpool – which we know all about – but also the likes of Chelsea and City as well. Utd are also busy buying too so who knows what they could do next season (if only as potential “disruptors”)?
The 2025-26 season looks like it could be a four-horse race rather than the two horse version that we’ve been used to over the last few seasons. If so, it will be more exciting but there will be even more pressure to get results and avoid slip ups.
Only time will tell which club(s) have improved their squads the most. Just bringing in players isn’t the be all and end all of course, it’s how they integrate into the wider squad and into the tactics employed. That’s why I think 2025-26 will be easily the biggest test of Arteta’s coaching and tactical skills to date.
Liverpool are strengthening their attack and frankly it’s scary but they are hardly perfect. They lost their most creative player in Trent and will still be relying on two of their best players (Salah and VVD) who are on the wrong side of 30-there’s always the possibility of decline. They will lose Salah to AFCON in January as well.
Their other Centre Back hasn’t signed a new contract yet and Madrid could unsettle him. They brought in new fullbacks who are more known for their attacking prowess than their ability to defend.
I think they are going to have more changes to their starting lineup than us and there could be some adaptation and chemistry issues.
I don’t see any perfect or near perfect team this season. All have their issues and it will be interesting to see how each team addresses their flaws. By the way,nobody knows for sure how the new signings for both teams will turn out.
Yes, LP will have big changes to make and I’m glad we are going to Anfield early rather than later in the season.
Me too, though watching Liverpool v Bilbao, they seem to be gelling already. Yikes.
Onyango, you are spot on with your analysis. With all the top teams reshuffling their squad, no team is certain how things unfold. New additions, tactics and team chemistry will require time. How the respective garffars manage the situation and how fast they do that will determine their successes this season. We can only hope our manager, Arteta will hit the ground running right away.
I agree with all of that. You missed a couple of bits, Etike is more unproven than Sesko, and Wurz looks a bit spindly. Also the article a bit of a tease makes it seem slam dunk Izak on his way to Anfield, it’s anything but. Newcastle don’t need to agree anything till there’s a replacement, and Liverpool themselves have paused for reflection having had £120M rebuffed.
It’s a funny thing football, you can have exactly the same players, bolstered by good signings, and have a far worse new season than the old one. There’s probably dozens of reasons why – less luck in games and with injuries, momentum doesn’t get going, new players take time to get going and could even turn out to be expensive flops, players who were phenomenal and made league team of the season can’t find the same form.
And if you try to analyse who will have a blip season, it will be no shock at least one top 4 contender surely will, I think both Liverpool and Arsenal look ripe to finish outside top two, replaced by Chelsea and Manky. Why? Liverpool won it despite some players not contributing much, team mates had fantastic form and it carried others – to some extent as a squad Liverpool over achieved – ManC, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle each had unconvincing spells and didn’t pressure Liverpool enough for the title win – I think it makes Liverpool a bit over dependent on likes of Salah maintains form and expensive new players helping out sooner than later. With Arsenal, you cannot base opinion on fact of three straight 2nd place finishes, because their form throughout 2025, more open at back than for many a year, hopeless at defending corners, and predictable and toothless in attack, is not the form of 2 and half years that achieved those top two finishes – although many faces the same, the system is just not working at the moment. Everything points to Arsenal continue struggling through autumn and Winter 2025.
If you don’t believe me, then tell us the match we will pick up our first league clean sheet of the season.
Isak makes no difference. Arsenal will succeed or fail on their own merits. We’ve bought a bunch of players and it’s arteta and his teams job to make it work.
Agree RSH. I hope MA has good headaches all season long.
Oh dear! the hubris is setting in again. Imo Liverpool are not the only team we have to beat, both Man City and Chelsea have strengthened their squads and could cause us problems next season. We only finished 3 points clear of City who had one of their worst seasons for a decade. Even with Isak Liverpool are not guaranteed to win back to back titles. The lack of injuries and us and City dropping off went a long way to them winning the EPL title. If they lost Salah and van Dijk to injury they will struggle. My danger team is a hurt Man City who have invested heavily in quality young players.
I agree Elder, LP is but one of several who at least on paper have strengthened significantly in this window. I don’t believe they will get it together quickly enough to be a challenger for the title but even MU without having to be concerned with European requirements may be a club on the move (and I don’t mean toward the relegation zone this time 🤣).
The top four teams are all looking very strong yeah. People are sleeping on Man City because they dropped off last year, but they are still the dominant team of the last 10 years or so. Marmoush is now settled, Rodri is struggling but will be eventually back to full fitness, and as you say they’ve strengthened in other areas. Pep and co should not be written off yet, even if Liverpool look like the odds-on favourites right now.
This is clearly going to be one of those seasons where those “fine margins” really show, and like last season, injury luck will play just as much a role as first-team players settling in and tactics improving.
All things equal, I think if we manage 3rd over the course of the season, it should be considered performing at level. 2nd again would really be overperforming. I can’t bring myself to fantasize about winning it all at this stage if I’m honest – that’s going to depend so much on what happens to the other teams.
👍Bergkampfwagen. I wish I could say otherwise. I’m comforting myself with the fact that we will have a strong team and anything can happen. Also realizing that the grass may simply be looking greener on the other side of the fence.
Bruised Banana,
With the lack of rain, I’m surprised you can find green grass. 😂
And what are you doing looking over other peoples fences. 😂
It’s not easy looking through these rose-coloured glasses.
Just looking for a pizza party.
Bruised Banana,
I thought you were going to say, you were looking for a Pizza the action. 😂👍
Good one 🤣🤣🤣 but my neighbours don’t do delivery
Bruised Banana,
Quality. 😂🤣👍
No matter if Liverpool sign Isak or not we will have the upper hand. What we need to do is to believe believe and have hope, people like Redar that made a comment about Mikel Arteta tactics don’t have hope. So i believe Arsenal can do it in the upcoming season.
It is all about us, not others. We have strengthened all positions. So, there is no excuse this season unless, God forbid, injuries strike again! Yes, all teams have strengthened but only one team will win. I take exception to the exaggerated praises of Liverpool. Last season, we refused to succumb to them on both occasions despite our depleted squad. If players remain fit, we shall put up a valiant fight. When I examine our team from back to forward, I feel confident of what we can achieve this season. It is a question resolving from the beginning never to surrender this time round. I am as eager as anyone for this season. The fact that we begin with two of our major rivals for the first three games is ominous but not insurmountable. We shall overcome adversity. Let us keep the faith.
DR
Pool have had a solid transfer window to date and could add more to the squad before the window is closed
imo We, on the other hand, have done just as well. Player’s coming in to positions where we were weak or short of cover.
It will be a dog fight between a few clubs but i am pretty confident we will land one of the 2 big prizes on offer this season
Onwards and upwards
David Rusa. I agree with you it’s all about us. This is the first time we’ve a balance squad with quality depth.For the past 8 years Man city, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man united have all been spending money rebuilding their squads , but only Man city and Liverpool have won it for the period.I believe we have chance to win it.
With new signings coming in across the top teams, no team is completely sure of how things will pan out considering new players settling in, team chemistry and managers tactics and not forgetting injuries. We can only hope our manager Arteta will be smart enough to hit the ground running early. Battle for 3 points from day one and not give excuses for mediocre performances from both his players and his own tactics.
Basically we need a tactic to unlock VG14…..change shape and tactics.
Become more unpredictable…..Odegaard has the unpredictability caters but whete can we deploy madueke…..how can we remould Nwaneri…..how do we counter fast counter attacking teams……my main kudos to M. Arteta was because the injuries last season was so much….It was expected we drop to third or 4th
More than half of first team got injured for extended period meaning hampering strategy expectation and play.
Martinelli should be given run of games at CF to reboot his footballing brain.
He is using more spewed than brain and moving him there for some games will help especially lesser cup games.
VG14 should form a partnership with certain players especially Harvetz If VG14 shooting is his strength
Arsenal and Arteta are either good enough or not. If we fail again, Arteta has to go. Because he will never win anything.This phase rubbish (thats all an excuse) is/has not worked. 🤞for Arteta, he needs it, its more about his coaching abilities against others in the prem.
However much Liverpool gave signed, doesn’t necessarily equate to success, far from it, I actually think they might end up struggling to finish top four. Besides city in the four in a row I haven’t seen a team not drop off after a title win. Even city in reality won after a second league turn around and a blip on teams around them! All that we should focus on is what our team and Arteta do, I still think we should vary our attack and speed up our pedestrian play.
We have become so reliant on the right side and completely ignored the left of our attack, I still think Arteta should allow our wingers to interchange go to the byline and weep in crosses with their stronger foot. Not the usual saka cuts in and shoots .
And for God’s sake Martinelli has just plateaued and we are in need of a shake up on that left side! Oooh and please Arteta if something or a player is not on his ‘A’ game change him early enough, you once said you thought of subbing a goalkeeper!
Remarkable we are all concerned about out an article by….a former Liverpool player ! Did we think he was going to say they had no chance !
We have improved our team and now it’s down to the players.
Also whilst Man City Man Utd andChelsea.are stronger that also means they will give Liverpool a harder game than last season
So it’s all to play for !
Liv was one injury away from scuttling their season in Salah, but if they get Isak, he can keep them up there with his goals, too. They are going to be difficult to stop