Carragher Slams Isak's Anfield Campaign, Warns Liverpool Need Precision Summer Overhaul

Alexander Isak's first campaign at Anfield has been a far cry from his Newcastle days, and Jamie Carragher isn't holding back in his assessment of the Swedish striker's struggles.

Isak notched his fourth goal of an injury-plagued season in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace—a result that mathematically secured Liverpool's Champions League football for next term. Yet that silverware dream has evaporated entirely under Arne Slot, a stark contrast to the manager's triumphant inaugural campaign when he steered the Reds to the Premier League title.

The £125m signing, who forced his exit from Newcastle, arrived as part of a staggering £450m summer spending spree. Florian Wirtz—the club's marquee £100m acquisition—has at least offered glimpses of what might yet come. Isak, conversely, has failed to justify his astronomical fee or recapture the form that made him such a menace on Tyneside.

Carragher's verdict is withering. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he highlighted an uncomfortable truth: "It hasn't worked," he said. "It might work in the future because I don't think you can judge every signing in the first year. But I've said this before; my experience as a Liverpool player, every player who came to the club, I can't remember one who didn't really do much in his first season, and then was a revelation afterwards. Isak hasn't got going. He obviously got the injury, but he didn't look great to start with."

The former Reds defender's observation cuts deep—in his playing days, struggling newcomers invariably bounced back. Isak's trajectory suggests otherwise.

With Slot seemingly secure in his position despite this season's turbulence, attention turns to what comes next. Sporting director Richard Hughes faces a crucial window, particularly given Mohamed Salah's impending departure. The Egyptian's exit represents not merely the loss of a world-class winger, but a seismic shift in Anfield's attacking blueprint.

Carragher believes the solution lies in surgical recruitment rather than wholesale squad overhaul. "In terms of what Liverpool need to do next season, well obviously they need to replace Salah," he explained. "I think for me, three players need to come straight into the team. You can't go on and buy five players into the team. Liverpool bought a lot of players last summer, so they are not going to buy a load this summer."

The message is clear: quality over quantity. After a summer of expensive missteps, Liverpool must get their business precisely right.