Hugo Ekitike comments prove major advantage Liverpool has after $169M Alexander Isak transfer

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Arne Slot has four center-backs even without Guehi coming in, and in attack, not getting Isak would have left Arne Slot lacking options when the fixture schedule begins to ramp up.

Unquestionably, going from six senior forwards to four — one of whom is Federico Chiesa, over which there remains a substantial question mark — would have been a risk.

Next week, for instance, Liverpool has Burnley on Sunday and then Atletico Madrid in the Champions League midweek, before the Anfield derby against Everton.

Given Isak is yet to play a competitive minute this season and missed pretty much the whole summer of preparations in a bid to force through a move to Liverpool, Slot will have to be careful with the Swede.

But when Isak is up to speed, the Liverpool head coach will need all the options available to him in weeks like those.

"I don’t think Ekitike would ever fulfil his full potential at the club if someone like Isak is there," Jamie Carragher said last month.

"If Isak comes in, Ekitike would be an understudy.

And £80 million is not a lot of money for an understudy."

But Ekitike, who signed for a fee of around $106 million (£79 million) from Eintracht Frankfurt, would have known that Isak coming in was a strong possibility.

"When you play at big clubs, you expect to be in competition with the best players," Ekitike said while away on international duty with France this week, where he made his debut at that level