Robbie Fowler is spot on - Liverpool move for £50m Alexander Isak alternative could be perfect solution

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has suggested a name who he thinks his old club should be pursuing this summer as they eye up centre-forward targets.

Over recent months, the Reds’ leading target has been Alexander Isak. Arsenal have also been keen on the Sweden international but both clubs are now understood to have withdrawn their interest, due to the amount of cash Newcastle are asking for.

It was reported last month that both clubs had cooled their interest in Isak, due to the Magpies making it ‘fiendishly difficult’ for any deal to get over the line this summer.

Robbie Fowler suggests Alexander Isak alternative for Liverpool

Isak isn’t the only striker who Liverpool have shown interest in recently. Ollie Watkins is another who is on the radar and Fowler believes he would be a good alternative to the Swede. With Darwin Nunez also expected to leave the club, it’s imperative Liverpool can find a suitable No.9 who can help them defend their Premier League title.

Speaking to The i Paper about Liverpool’s potential transfer business, the Anfield icon said: “It’s a difficult one because as a supporter, you want them to sign every player under the sun. If you’re not signing players, you risk potentially going backwards.

“Maybe Nunez will be a name on a few teams’ lists because he hasn’t played the amount of games he’d want to, so you assume Liverpool will try to bring a No 9. The problem is clubs know that they are potentially on the lookout for a No 9, so the prices will become silly. If you look at Isak, he’s going to be £100m plus easily. He’s a wonderful player, but Liverpool may not want to pay that, and they’ll look around.

“You could look at Ollie Watkins. He doesn’t really fit the model in terms of what Liverpool want, given his age [29 years old], but I’d go and get him for a couple of years because he’s a tremendous player and established and experienced in the Premier League.”

Ollie Watkins could be solid option for Liverpool

Football Insider reported last month that Liverpool were interested in signing Watkins this summer from Villa, who are focusing on trying to keep the on loan Marcus Rashford. The West Midlands side are looking for around £50-60 million for the sale of Watkins, which is a much more manageable fee for the Premier League champions.

Watkins has contributed 15 goals and seven assists in the league this season, despite being named as a substitute and coming off the bench on seven occasions. With someone like Mohamed Salah supporting him out wide, it’s likely Watkins’ numbers will increase, especially if he becomes the first choice No.9.

Liverpool certainly have the scope to sign a nine-figure striker but right now, they have other areas to focus on. It has been reported that the Reds will have a £150 million budget for the summer, and they need to add a left-back and potentially a new centre-back to their list alongside a centre-forward.

Right now, it doesn’t seem feasible for Liverpool to blow upwards of £100 million on a striker when there are other areas of concern. If the Reds can negotiate more towards the £50 million mark, they will have £100 million to spend on new defenders. This suits the current situation and Watkins is far from an average striker. His numbers this season have been impressive and he has often been the difference in results for Villa, which will be key for the Reds moving forwards.

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