As Liverpool engages in negotiations with Paris St-Germain over the transfer of Bradley Barcola, the club’s leadership remains firm on not exceeding their record £125m expenditure on Alexander Isak from last summer.

If the £123m deal for Barcola materializes in the upcoming days, the French winger will become the 10th player in Premier League history to command a fee of £100m or more.

None of these transfers have surpassed the amount spent on Isak, which creates significant expectations for the former Newcastle striker.

During his last two seasons at Newcastle, Isak scored 44 Premier League goals, but his inaugural season at Liverpool has been marred by injuries, leading to just three goals in 14 league games.

For Andoni Iraola, who has settled for draws in his first two matches as Liverpool manager, optimizing Isak’s performance will be crucial for the team’s success. In their recent 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest, Isak struggled to impact the game.

Despite showing sharpness in pre-season and performing well for Sweden in the World Cup, Isak faced challenges upon returning to Tyneside last weekend.

In the game against Forest, he had a mere six touches, one successful pass, and no shots in the first half.

Joe Hart, a former England goalkeeper and pundit on Saturday’s Match of the Day, noted, “It is clear that Liverpool haven’t worked out how to play with Alexander Isak yet. At Newcastle, everything flowed through him due to the trust built over time – their midfield knew exactly where he was and didn’t even need to look up. At Liverpool, that trust just isn’t there right now, making him look lost and isolated.”

‘There’s no doubting Isak’s quality’

Watching from the directors’ box during Iraola’s first home Premier League match were incoming vice-chairman Amit Bhatia, principal owner John Henry, and sporting director Richard Hughes, who played a vital role in securing Isak’s deal last summer.

Fortunately for them, and for Iraola, Isak equalized for Liverpool after the break. He managed only seven additional touches in the second half, but his position perfectly complemented Cody Gakpo’s delivery for his first goal of the season, reflecting a sense of relief and joy on his face.

Isak expressed to TNT Sports, “That’s the job ultimately as a striker [to score goals]. I am very happy to score the first one and hopefully it just keeps coming.”

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard labeled the goal as “big” for both the striker’s confidence and the team’s morale.

However, Hart suggested that Iraola faces difficult decisions ahead. “Does he structure the team around Isak or search for alternatives within the squad? In my view, he must commit to maximizing Isak’s potential given the hefty investment made in him,” said Hart. “There’s no point in signing players of this caliber if they aren’t utilized effectively to play to their strengths. There’s no doubt about Isak’s quality, but they are currently at a crossroads.”

During Isak’s struggles last season, club insiders maintained that he represented a long-term signing, and evaluations would be fairer once he regained full fitness. Since Isak’s arrival in England, only Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, and Ollie Watkins have scored more Premier League goals. With Salah now sidelined, the onus is on Isak to deliver, especially with Hugo Ekitike currently injured.

Iraola’s possession problem

In their first two matches of the season, Liverpool has drawn 2-2, despite holding 60% possession against Newcastle and 70% against Forest.

In both fixtures, the team trailed, and they have yet to lead in a Premier League match this season.

This situation complicates Isak’s role, who thrived in a counter-attacking setup at Newcastle. Against teams that sit deep, the dynamic shifts significantly.

This trend reflects a broader challenge for Iraola. Last season, his Bournemouth side won only four of the 19 Premier League matches where they had more possession, but they won nine of the remaining 19.

The Cherries were known for their counter-pressing effectiveness and excelled in transitions, rarely emerging victorious when holding more than 58.8% of possession.

“As an attacking force, Liverpool isn’t firing on all cylinders,” remarked Hart. “With the physical nature of the Premier League and their current uncertainty, teams are taking advantage of them. Implementing a coherent strategy will require extensive work from Iraola and his staff, but he is a top coach surrounded by quality players.”

Isak commented on the prospects for the season, saying, “Not really. I think every striker wants to score in every game he plays. Obviously, that’s difficult, but we take each game one at a time.”

This outlook signifies a step forward from his previous performance against Newcastle, though Isak is aware he must continue to improve.

During Liverpool’s negotiations with Paris St-Germain for Bradley Barcola, the Anfield hierarchy were determined not to pay more than the club-record £125m they spent on Alexander Isak last summer.

When the £123m deal for Barcola is completed over the coming days, the France winger will become the 10th £100m player in Premier League history.

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None have cost more than Isak, so the expectation on the former Newcastle striker is understandable, to say the least.

Isak scored 44 Premier League goals in his last two seasons at Newcastle, but in an injury-plagued first campaign at Anfield the 26-year-old found the back of the net just three times in 14 top-flight appearances.

For Andoni Iraola, who has drawn his first two games as Liverpool manager, a major part of success at Anfield will be the ability to get the best out of Isak, who – despite scoring – was largely ineffective in their 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Unlike last summer, Isak has looked sharp in pre-season after some impressive displays for Sweden at the World Cup, but struggled on his return to Tyneside last weekend.

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For 45 minutes against Forest on Saturday, those struggles continued with just six touches, one accurate pass and zero shots.

“It is clear that Liverpool haven’t worked out how to play with Alexander Isak yet,” said ex-England goalkeeper Joe Hart, who is a pundit on Saturday’s Match of the Day.

“At Newcastle everything flowed through him. That was down to a trust thing that they had built up over time – their midfield knew exactly where he was and they didn’t even need to look up as he’d be there waiting.

“At Liverpool that trust just isn’t there at the moment – no-one is feeling it and he isn’t that central point, which is leading to him looking lost and isolated.”

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‘There’s no doubting Isak’s quality’

It would have been intriguing to be a fly on the wall in the directors’ box at Anfield.

Iraola’s first home Premier League game was watched by incoming Liverpool vice-chairman Amit Bhatia, principal owner John Henry, and sporting director Richard Hughes, who was integral in getting the deal for Isak done last summer.

Thankfully for them – and Iraola – Isak got Liverpool on level terms after the break. He managed just seven more touches in the second half but centre-forwards deal in goals and the Swede timed his run perfectly to meet Cody Gakpo’s delivery for his first goal of the season. His smile after told a story in itself.

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“That’s the job ultimately as a striker [to score goals]. I am very happy to score the first one and hopefully it just keeps coming,” Isak told TNT Sports.

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard described the goal as “big” – for both the striker’s confidence and the team’s.

But, in Hart’s opinion, Iraola still has a major conundrum.

“Andoni Iraola has some big decisions to make,” said Hart. “Does he base his team round him [Isak] or does he try to find a different solution within his squad? In my opinion he’s got to commit to what the club have done by investing so heavily in Isak.

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“There’s no point signing these players if you aren’t going to use them properly and play to their strengths. There’s no doubting Isak’s quality – they are just at a bit of a crossroads at the moment.”

During Isak’s struggles last season, the belief inside the club was that he was a long-term signing and judgement would be reserved for once he was fully fit.

Only Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins have scored more Premier League goals since Isak’s first season in England and, with Salah now out of the picture, the onus is on Isak to deliver – particularly with Hugo Ekitike out injured.

Iraola’s possession problem

Liverpool’s first two games of the season have finished 2-2 despite Iraola’s side enjoying 60% of possession against Newcastle last week and 70% against Forest.

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In both games, they have found themselves trailing and are yet to be ahead in the Premier League this season.

That has inevitably made things trickier for Isak, who was such a force in a counter-attacking Newcastle side. Against low blocks, the proposition is different.

It is also symptomatic of a wider issue Iraola faces.

Last season, his Bournemouth side won just four of the 19 Premier League games in which they had the majority of possession. They won nine of the other 19.

The Cherries, who were known for their counter-pressing style and effectiveness in transition, also failed to win a game in which they had more than 58.8% possession.

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In essence, his side were more successful when they had less of the ball – something that will rarely happen now he is at Anfield.

“As an attacking force it isn’t flowing for Liverpool,” said Hart. “With the physical nature of the Premier League and with them not 100% sure on what they are doing at the moment, teams are stomping all over them.

“It’s going to take a whole lot of work from Iraola and his staff on the training pitch, but he is a top coach and they have top players.”

Asked about whether he sets targets for the season, Isak said: “Not really. I think every striker wants to score [in] every game he plays. Obviously that’s difficult but [we take] each game at a time.”

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That is one way to look at it, and this was certainly an improvement on his showing against Newcastle, but deep down Isak will know he can – and must – do better.