'Played it quite well': Journalist explains why Liverpool have left it so late before bidding for Isak again

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With less than two days of the market remaining, Liverpool are hoping to sign both Marc Guehi and Alexander Isak.

With both sagas dragging on into the months, supporters have been wondering why Liverpool have left it so long before making their move.

The Reds made a bid for Guehi on Saturday evening, while a second offer for Isak is set to arrive on either Sunday or Monday.

The lateness of the action is making fans nervous that the transfers will not go through.

But, in reality, Liverpool could do little until Newcastle got their own house in order.

And speaking on his YouTube channel after the Magpies’ drew 0-0 with Leeds on Saturday, Hope says Liverpool’s operation to sign Isak has been a ‘summer-long strategy.’

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“This is a summer-long strategy we’re seeing from Liverpool and, for me, they’ve played it quite well,” he admits.

“They’ve left the bid at £110m over the past three or four weeks so when they do return, there’s no point bidding against themselves, the jumping off point is £110m.

“They’ve waited for Newcastle to commit big money elsewhere.

Liverpool now will believe that Isak has taken it to a point of no return perhaps with Newcastle, that was certainly the mood music during the week.”

“Liverpool now, having left it at this point, they’re going to leave as small a window as possible to get the deal done,” Hope explains “They don’t want weeks worth of Newcastle having the opportunity to reject, because Newcastle want to draw a line under that and Liverpool know as much.

“They will come back, be that tomorrow [Sunday] or Monday and Newcastle will be left with a decision to make of do they accept an offer which we believe will be in the region of £120m.

“Do I expect Liverpool return?

Most likely.”

Although there is certainly logic to Liverpool’s strategy here – and some of it was out of their hands as Newcastle pursued Isak replacements – there is also plenty of risk attached to it.

Leaving a bid so late always leaves the selling club in a bit of a pickle.