Andoni Iraola is about to meet the player his success at Liverpool depends on

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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesAndoni IraolaLiverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has been working with a group of players in the early parts of pre-season, but some more of his big-hitters will rejoin the group this weekendAndoni Iraola during a Liverpool training session in Chicago, Illinois.(Image: Nikki Dyer/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)There is no doubt about it: Liverpool simply has to make signings before the summer window closes. Alexander Isak, the $169 million (£125 million) striker, is the man who — without being too dramatic — the season could hinge on.While Liverpool is yet to fully bolster its forward line following the departure of Mohamed Salah, most of the current options are not guarantees of the kind of goal return that the Egyptian provided for all but one of his seasons in red.With Isak, though, it is a different story.

If the Swede stays fit and gets proper service, the chances that are created for him will be taken.The only doubts around Isak so far have been his fitness, not his quality, and his efforts for Sweden at the World Cup would suggest those are — at long last — behind him.Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz during a Liverpool training session.(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Isak, because he has been injured for so long, has been underrated by many. Learn moreFrom $100LFC.comSee the dealLiverpool's home and away strips for the 2025/26 season are the first in their new partnership with adidas.Fans can order jerseys in the US at Fanatics.com or via the LFC Online Store in both the US and across the world.During the months that Ekitike is missing, the pressure will be on Isak even more to deliver and take the team forward, often multiple times inside a short period.But with his price tag, that is something he will have expected.

And with his ability, it is something he can carry."The three players that are going to join us (Isak, Wirtz, and Ryan Gravenberch) are going to be in the second week fully with us [in America]," Iraola told a press conference on Tuesday.Each will be vital for different reasons, but none more so than the man primarily tasked with taking on the goalscoring mantle from Salah, who Iraola will meet for the first time this week.Matt AddisonMatt Addison is the Liverpool FC reporter for Liverpool.com, covering the Reds through written articles, podcasts and videos. He graduated from the University of Liverpool (BA) and enjoys covering Liverpool's youth teams, as well as the first team, and is an FA-qualified football coach and referee.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCAndoni IraolaAlexander Isak