Liverpool Table €70 Million Bid for Real Sociedad Striker
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By Martin Graham | 18th Mar 2022
According to Mundo Deportivo, a Spanish news outlet, Liverpool have submitted a bid of €70 million for Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad.
The Swedish striker has been on the books of the Basque club since 2019 and is subject of transfer speculation for Arsenal who are eyeing him as a replacement for their departing strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah.
Liverpool is also set to lose Roberto Firmino in the summer and will be in need of another striker to take the Brazilian’s place. This is why they have reportedly said their sides on Isak and have made the move to beat Arsenal to his signature.
Per the report, Liverpool’s €70 million proposal to Real Sociedad went through an intermediary, but there was no official bid from the Anfield outfit for the player.
Real Sociedad believe that Liverpool are not just testing the waters, but using the supposed bid in order to gain leverage in another deal. Regardless, it shows how much the Basque club could rake in for their in-demand 22-year-old striker.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane’s contract situations at Liverpool are also a subject of concern for the club. It has even been reported that Salah has given the green light to Barcelona, who identified him as an option to replace Erling Haaland as their marquee signing for the summer.
Liverpool will also lose Divock Origi in the summer, who has decided not to renew his contract at Anfield after spending six years as a squad player.
The Swedish striker is under contract in the Basque Country club until 2026 and Real Sociedad will only listen to offers of €90 million and above which will match the buyout clause for Isak’s contract.
Klopp bemoans Mane treatment as Liverpool catch up to Manchester City in title race
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hit out at Premier League officials for their dismissal of Sadio Mane’s foul calls during matches.
Liverpool came out victors from their trip to the Emirates on Wednesday evening, beating Arsenal 2-0 to claim another three points to close the gap to Manchester City at the top of the table to just a point.
Mane play the whole 90 minutes of the game and suffered a few fouls from the Arsenal midfield and defence.
In his post-match comments, Klopp bemoaned some of the decisions that went against his Senegal star as claims that Liverpool’s number 10 goes to ground easily did not go down well with the German tactician.
“The situation with Sadio Mane, I am sick of it!” Klopp said.
“I just am sick of it that you take a player out of it and they could have done what they wanted, everything. They fouled him and he didn’t get fouled. That was what I was talking about. It was nothing to do with the game. I have no idea.
“Maybe someone can explain to me why Sadio doesn’t get free-kicks. Don’t tell me he is a diver or whatever, he is not. I know him better than anyone else and he is not!
“Maybe if he has one, it is not a clear foul but it is always like this. Maybe there is a little contact and he goes down but then you see it in the situation. Or for the proper [fouls] he doesn’t get them and that is what I don’t like.
“Not enough protection? Whatever you want to make of it, just look at the situations and tell me that it is not always a foul.
“And then you have Ben White over in the corner, Sadio pressed him and then he kicks the ball out more or less. There is no contact, but it is still a free-kick for Arsenal, so it is smart from Ben White.
“But if Sadio is doing that, the whole stadium is on their toes and the referee is [thinking] ‘oh my god.’ I am sick of it and that is why I was a bit angry [on the sidelines].”
Martin Graham is an MFF sports writer
