How Can Liverpool Afford Isak After Spending So Much?

Liverpool person spent much than £170m connected players this summertime yet are willing successful adding Newcastle United's Alexander Isak to their ranks.

With a package to motion Isak thought to costs up to £130m, it would return their summertime spending to £300m.

The Premier League champions' spending is simply a important jump up from past year, erstwhile they shelled retired only £10m connected Italy winger Federico Chiesa and £25m connected Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili successful nan summertime window.

BBC Sport understands that, while Liverpool person explored different centre-forward targets, they person made a move towards a woody for Isak successful caller days.

Liverpool person signed midfielder Florian Wirtz successful a potential British grounds £116m deal this summertime and paid £40m and £30m respectively for full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.

So really tin Liverpool spend to walk truthful overmuch connected players, and do they person nan fund to walk moreover more?

Liverpool's income has been boosted this twelvemonth acknowledgment to respective cardinal factors.

They received £175m successful prize money for winning nan Premier League; past play was nan club's first afloat run pinch an expanded Anfield Road End and a higher capacity; and from 1 August they person a caller kit deal pinch Adidas which immoderate reports worth astatine £60m per season, much than their existent business pinch Nike.

Those factors, mixed pinch comparatively debased transportation spending successful erstwhile windows, mean Liverpool find themselves good wrong nan Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR) which limit clubs to losses of £105m complete 3 years.

"Liverpool are a ace smart shot club," shot finance master Kieran Maguire told BBC Sport.

"They're successful an incredibly beardown PSR position. Out of nan apical six clubs, they've spent nan slightest successful this three-year rhythm - only £325m - and that includes their signing of Florian Wirtz.

"They've still sewage plentifulness of wiggle room pinch their transportation budget. Plus, a move for for a striker is apt to beryllium paid successful instalments, meaning nan costs tin beryllium dispersed complete aggregate seasons."

Over nan past 3 seasons Liverpool person had a nett transportation walk of -£4m, £96m and £53m respectively according to Transfmarkt.

For context, Manchester United person had a nett walk of £119m, £133m and £190m complete their past 3 campaigns.

"Liverpool person been extracurricular nan top-10 spenders connected subordinate signings since 2019, but their exemplary is simply a classical lawsuit of being smarter alternatively than bigger," said Maguire.

"Liverpool's exemplary has been to disregard nan sound and only bargain a subordinate if they genuinely amended nan squad. It's a Moneyball,, external much analytical approach.

"Chief executive Michael Edwards does a superb occupation and he ne'er buys players because of outer pressure. He doesn't get jittery erstwhile fans telephone for much signings.

"Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and perchance Isak are large signings, but they each amended nan Liverpool squad, and nan Reds do person an atrocious batch of PSR headroom."

Newcastle person maintained passim nan summertime that their apical players - and Isak is surely 1 of those - are not for sale.

Indeed, for illustration Liverpool, Newcastle - who are owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) - are successful a comfortable PSR position.

Isak has 3 years near connected his contract, truthful nan Swede would astir apt person to actively push for a move.

Apart from Liverpool, fewer different clubs successful nan marketplace for a striker could spend Isak's reported £130m value tag.

"As nan astir profitable nine successful Premier League history, Arsenal could easy walk complete £200m successful nan model and person nary PSR concerns," said Maguire.

Despite Isak having been linked pinch a move to Arsenal, nan Gunners are alternatively expected to scope a afloat statement pinch Sporting for nan 73.5m euros (£63.5m) signing of striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer.

Manchester City are improbable to beryllium successful nan marketplace for a striker, pinch Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush nether lengthy contracts.

It seems doubtful that United would beryllium capable to spend Isak's interest without important subordinate sales, having missed retired connected Champions League shot adjacent season.

Chelsea person bought strikers Liam Delap and Joao Pedro this window.

"In theory, Tottenham could besides spend Isak," said Maguire. "But whether nan subordinate would want to move from a squad who vanished 5th to 1 who vanished 17th is simply a full different story."