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North Wales Chronicle
13 hours ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
David James hopes Alexander Isak can help Liverpool win multiple trophies
The ex-England international admits the forward may not be 'the most viable signing' due to Newcastle's £150million price tag, but the Reds' long-term interest in the Sweden international shows how valuable they think he could be to them. Extricating Isak from St James' Park will be far from straightforward, even though the player has not joined his team-mates for their pre-season tour of South Korea and is privately telling people he wants to move to Anfield. However, James said Liverpool will have done their homework and know exactly what difference he can make to a team which won the Premier League in head coach Arne Slot's first season, but came up disappointing short in the Champions League. 'Arne is in the most wonderful position to be able to have to defend titles,' James told the PA news agency after surprising a St Helens walking football team as part of an initiative run by Carlsberg. 'Liverpool will give it the best they can, but there is a bigger carrot of 'can you be dominant in Europe?'. 'Bringing in someone like Isak is not the most viable signing, but when you want to be achieving on multiple levels then you are going to need that squad. 'If Isak comes in – if – then it will be because Liverpool will feel they need him rather than having the money just to get someone. 'What is interesting here is when you look at (Mohamed) Salah last season, he scored the goals but his assist numbers were what got me. 'How much influence he has on players to be better than the numbers they were recording last season will be exciting – and that includes Isak if it goes through. 'These players are coming into an environment where they are at least expected to improve and as Liverpool are currently Premier League champions then improvement would be adding another trophy hopefully.' Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group have undertaken an unprecedented spending spree this summer with almost £300m bringing in club-record signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. All are under the age of 24 and have helped reduce the age profile of the squad while also being a long-term investment. While Isak would be the summer's marquee signing, there are concerns Liverpool could be leaving themselves short at centre-back with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez – who returned home from the Far East to have treatment on an injury – the only senior players for that position. They have been linked with Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, who has a year left on his contract, but currently have not made any move. James, however, is not too concerned at present. 'You'd think their offence will always be better than the opposition's defence and they will be able to out-score other teams except for the occasional game,' he added. 'The idea Liverpool have to have the best defence would be wonderful, but I don't think they have to rush into buying someone. It might be something that happens in January. 'The end of the Champions League campaign is naturally when you come up against better teams and your defensive issues can be called into question. 'I imagine they will have so much success anyway they won't feel they have to desperately go out and buy someone and looking at the signings there doesn't appear to be any desperation so far.' :: David James partnered with Carlsberg to surprise members of the St Helen's Walking football team, forming part of the brewer's initiative to give more people access to the more of the best.
Rhyl Journal
14 hours ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
David James hopes Alexander Isak can help Liverpool win multiple trophies
The ex-England international admits the forward may not be 'the most viable signing' due to Newcastle's £150million price tag, but the Reds' long-term interest in the Sweden international shows how valuable they think he could be to them. Extricating Isak from St James' Park will be far from straightforward, even though the player has not joined his team-mates for their pre-season tour of South Korea and is privately telling people he wants to move to Anfield. However, James said Liverpool will have done their homework and know exactly what difference he can make to a team which won the Premier League in head coach Arne Slot's first season, but came up disappointing short in the Champions League. 'Arne is in the most wonderful position to be able to have to defend titles,' James told the PA news agency after surprising a St Helens walking football team as part of an initiative run by Carlsberg. 'Liverpool will give it the best they can, but there is a bigger carrot of 'can you be dominant in Europe?'. 'Bringing in someone like Isak is not the most viable signing, but when you want to be achieving on multiple levels then you are going to need that squad. 'If Isak comes in – if – then it will be because Liverpool will feel they need him rather than having the money just to get someone. 'What is interesting here is when you look at (Mohamed) Salah last season, he scored the goals but his assist numbers were what got me. 'How much influence he has on players to be better than the numbers they were recording last season will be exciting – and that includes Isak if it goes through. 'These players are coming into an environment where they are at least expected to improve and as Liverpool are currently Premier League champions then improvement would be adding another trophy hopefully.' Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group have undertaken an unprecedented spending spree this summer with almost £300m bringing in club-record signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. All are under the age of 24 and have helped reduce the age profile of the squad while also being a long-term investment. While Isak would be the summer's marquee signing, there are concerns Liverpool could be leaving themselves short at centre-back with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez – who returned home from the Far East to have treatment on an injury – the only senior players for that position. They have been linked with Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, who has a year left on his contract, but currently have not made any move. James, however, is not too concerned at present. 'You'd think their offence will always be better than the opposition's defence and they will be able to out-score other teams except for the occasional game,' he added. 'The idea Liverpool have to have the best defence would be wonderful, but I don't think they have to rush into buying someone. It might be something that happens in January. 'The end of the Champions League campaign is naturally when you come up against better teams and your defensive issues can be called into question. 'I imagine they will have so much success anyway they won't feel they have to desperately go out and buy someone and looking at the signings there doesn't appear to be any desperation so far.' :: David James partnered with Carlsberg to surprise members of the St Helen's Walking football team, forming part of the brewer's initiative to give more people access to the more of the best.
South Wales Guardian
14 hours ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
David James hopes Alexander Isak can help Liverpool win multiple trophies
The ex-England international admits the forward may not be 'the most viable signing' due to Newcastle's £150million price tag, but the Reds' long-term interest in the Sweden international shows how valuable they think he could be to them. Extricating Isak from St James' Park will be far from straightforward, even though the player has not joined his team-mates for their pre-season tour of South Korea and is privately telling people he wants to move to Anfield. However, James said Liverpool will have done their homework and know exactly what difference he can make to a team which won the Premier League in head coach Arne Slot's first season, but came up disappointing short in the Champions League. 'Arne is in the most wonderful position to be able to have to defend titles,' James told the PA news agency after surprising a St Helens walking football team as part of an initiative run by Carlsberg. 'Liverpool will give it the best they can, but there is a bigger carrot of 'can you be dominant in Europe?'. 'Bringing in someone like Isak is not the most viable signing, but when you want to be achieving on multiple levels then you are going to need that squad. 'If Isak comes in – if – then it will be because Liverpool will feel they need him rather than having the money just to get someone. 'What is interesting here is when you look at (Mohamed) Salah last season, he scored the goals but his assist numbers were what got me. 'How much influence he has on players to be better than the numbers they were recording last season will be exciting – and that includes Isak if it goes through. 'These players are coming into an environment where they are at least expected to improve and as Liverpool are currently Premier League champions then improvement would be adding another trophy hopefully.' Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group have undertaken an unprecedented spending spree this summer with almost £300m bringing in club-record signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. All are under the age of 24 and have helped reduce the age profile of the squad while also being a long-term investment. While Isak would be the summer's marquee signing, there are concerns Liverpool could be leaving themselves short at centre-back with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez – who returned home from the Far East to have treatment on an injury – the only senior players for that position. They have been linked with Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, who has a year left on his contract, but currently have not made any move. James, however, is not too concerned at present. 'You'd think their offence will always be better than the opposition's defence and they will be able to out-score other teams except for the occasional game,' he added. 'The idea Liverpool have to have the best defence would be wonderful, but I don't think they have to rush into buying someone. It might be something that happens in January. 'The end of the Champions League campaign is naturally when you come up against better teams and your defensive issues can be called into question. 'I imagine they will have so much success anyway they won't feel they have to desperately go out and buy someone and looking at the signings there doesn't appear to be any desperation so far.' :: David James partnered with Carlsberg to surprise members of the St Helen's Walking football team, forming part of the brewer's initiative to give more people access to the more of the best.
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Alisson leaves Liverpool camp as Reds goalkeeper becomes third pre-season departure
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker is returning to the UK from the Reds' pre-season training camp in Japan, becoming the third player to leave the Asia tour this summer Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has left the Reds' pre-season training camp in Tokyo to attend to a personal matter. The Brazilian has been allowed to depart Asia and head home to the UK, where he will link up with his team-mates again upon their return. Alisson, 32, didn't take part in an open training session on Tuesday, and shortly afterwards it emerged that he has become the third Liverpool player to leave the tour since the Reds arrived in the Far East. Defender Joe Gomez departed shortly before the Reds' opening game in Hong Kong against AC Milan with what the club described as an Achilles injury. Head coach Arne Slot played down the severity of the problem and expects to have Gomez ready for selection before the start of the season. Colombian winger Luis Diaz said his goodbyes to the squad on Monday ahead of flying to Germany to complete his transfer to Bayern Munich. Liverpool have agreed a fee in the region of £65.5million for the 28-year-old, who is eager to embrace a new challenge having failed to come to an agreement over a new contract at Anfield. The Reds hope to put the funds towards a bid for Newcastle star Alexander Isak. Alisson played the first 45 minutes of Saturday's 4-2 defeat to Milan in Hong Kong in his first action of pre-season, but now won't feature in Wednesday's clash with J1 League side Yokohama F Marinos. His departure leaves Giorgi Mamardashvili as the No.1 goalkeeper on the tour, with the Georgian supported by fellow summer arrivals Freddie Woodman and Armin Pecsi as well as young Pole Kornel Misciur. Liverpool will return home to the UK following Wednesday's fixture at the Nissan Stadium, with last season's Premier League champions then hosting Athletic Bilbao in two back-to-back friendlies at Anfield on Monday. The Reds will then face FA Cup winners Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley on August 10, before beginning their Premier League defence at home to Bournemouth five days later on Friday, August 15.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
New Liverpool signing's FaceTime with team-mate before agreeing transfer revealed
Ryan Gravenberch is set to link up with Jeremie Frimpong at Anfield this season, and the Liverpool midfielder has lifted the lid on giving the full-back advice on what to expect from Arne Slot's set-up Ryan Gravenberch has explained that he shared a FaceTime call with Jeremie Frimpong before the full-back signed for Liverpool. The pair of Dutchmen have already shared the pitch on occasion for their nation, and will now link up at Anfield with hopes of defending the Reds' Premier League title in 2025/26. But before Frimpong committed his future to Liverpool, he shared a chat about the club with Gravenberch. Speaking about Arne Slot's summer signings thus far, the midfielder said: "Jeremie, obviously I know him for a long time already so I have a really good relationship with him. So I'm really happy that he is here." He added: "We had a little FaceTime [before he signed]. We spoke to each other and he asked me about Liverpool and everything and I gave him really good advice! I am happy that he is here." Gravenberch joined Liverpool in the summer of 2023 in a £34.2million deal with Bayern Munich and quickly became part and parcel of Jurgen Klopp's plans - making 26 appearances in his maiden season. Last season under Slot proved even more fruitful for the 23-year-old, who missed just one Premier League clash for Liverpool, and was instrumental to the club winning the title. Frimpong, meanwhile, was recruited by Slot at the turn of this summer's transfer window, with the manager eager to find a suitable replacement for a departing Trent Alexander-Arnold who joined Real Madrid ahead of the Club World Cup. As a result, his £29.5m release clause with Bayer Leverkusen was activated, and he has enjoyed his time on Merseyside since. However, Frimpong isn't the only high-profile signing that Liverpool have acquired this summer. The club also struck a £40m deal with Bournemouth for left-back Milos Kerkez, before securing the services of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike in a £79m move. Slot's marquee signing, however, comes in the form of Florian Wirtz, smashing the club's record transfer fee in bringing the attacking-midfielder on board from Leverkusen for a staggering £116m last month. And Gravenberch showered the former Bundesliga star with praise as he joined the ranks of Anfield. He said: "I think everyone knows Florian and also here in training he is a really good player: technical, really good vision, so I am really happy that he is here and I can't wait for the season to start also to play with him." It comes Liverpool are currently amid a pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Japan as they ready themselves for their 2025/26 Premier League campaign. The Reds kicked off their preparations for the fresh season with a 3-1 win over Preston North End at Deepdale on July 13, before securing a 5-0 win over Stoke City at the AXA Training Centre a week later. A 4-2 loss to AC Milan then ensued at the Kai Tak Stadium, with Liverpool's next fixture coming in the form of a friendly with Yokohama FC at the Nissan Stadium come Wednesday. Upon their return, Liverpool will play host to Athletic Club at Anfield come August 4, and face Crystal Palace at Wembley for the Community Shield six days later. Their seasonal opener with Bournemouth then takes place come August 15 on home soil. Outlining his goals for the new season, Gravenberch said: "To make it a really nice season again. My aims are like last season, I just want to be there for the team and to show myself again and be as consistent as I can."
