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Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Liverpool, Alexander Isak, Transfers, Newcastle United, Premier League, Football
Ryan Smart
Topics: Liverpool, Alexander Isak, Transfers, Newcastle United, Premier League, Football
Liverpool have identified Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike as their main transfer targets this summer - so we've decided to compare both players at the same age.
Fabrizio Romano reported on Tuesday afternoon that Liverpool had entered 'club-to-club talks' with Newcastle over a potential deal for Isak, who has scored 45 Premier League goals in two years.
However, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie later claimed that Isak is not for sale, with Newcastle having previously placed a price tag of over £150 million on the striker.
It is added that Liverpool will attempt to rival Newcastle over the signing of Ekitike from Frankfurt once they receive definitive confirmation that Isak is not available.
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The Swedish striker signed for the Magpies from Real Sociedad in 2022 and has since established himself as one of the Premier League's most potent attackers.
Ekitike, meanwhile, signed permanently for Frankfurt last summer after an unsuccessful spell with PSG, and scored 15 Bundesliga goals last term.
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Newcastle have bid for the former PSG frontman as they look to secure a striker to partner Isak.
The France international striker is currently 23, with Isak slightly older at 25 - indicating the type of age profile that Liverpool are targeting for their newest striker acquisition.
As a result, we've used Squawka's Comparison Matrix to compare the records of both Ekitike and Isak from when they were both 23, focusing on Isak's debut Premier League campaign with Newcastle.
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The first stat that stands out is Isak's far superior conversion rate, showing that he both had fewer chances than Ekitike and scored a much higher percentage of them.
Isak only has 10 goals to Ekitike's 15, but also played 22 games compared to his rival's 33 - with those numbers theoretically likely to level out if they both contested the same amount of minutes.
Ekitike does clearly lead the way in non-penalty goals, however, with 14 to Isak's eight.
While goalscoring is, of course, a significant part of a striker's duties, the ability to retain possession, duel successfully and bring others into play is becoming increasingly important in the modern game.
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And that is where Ekitike excels.
The Frenchman created over double the amount of chances that Isak did, with 42 to the Swede's 18.
He also had a higher aerial duel success percentage, and succeeded in 137 duels compared to Isak's 87.
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The Newcastle striker is superior in ground duel successes, however, along with higher pass accuracy and take-on success numbers.
Given Liverpool's playing style, Isak would appear to be a better fit than Ekitike in those metrics - alongside his goalscoring talents.
We decided to look at both players' stats from last season as well - and they paint an interesting picture.
Isak, now two years older, puts Ekitike comfortably to the sword in every goalscoring stat, but his numbers in other areas have changed.
He is superior in both passing accuracy and take-on success, but his aerial success percentage has dropped by nearly 13 per cent compared to 2022/23.
He has also won fewer duels when his 2022/23 stats are converted to his 2024/25 playing time, while his ground duel success has dropped by eight per cent, with Ekitike successful in both metrics.
So while Isak's sheer goalscoring prowess secures him the win this time - compared to his additional numbers when the pair were 23 - you can certainly see why the Reds consider Ekitike, who is two years younger, a strong alternative if that deal doesn't come off.