‘I love him’ – Liverpool urged to rival Arsenal for Alexander Isak transfer by Enrique who backs Newcastle to beat drop
FORMER Liverpool star Jose Enrique has urged the club to splash the cash to bring Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak to Anfield.
The 35-year-old, who retired in September 2017 due to a long-term knee injury, also believes that Leeds winger Raphinha should be a target for Jurgen Klopp.
Arsenal are believed to be keen on Isak should they fail to sign Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina.
But Enrique, who won the League Cup with the Reds in 2012, has told his former employers to do all they can to convince the player to make the move to Anfield.
Isak, 22, has already spoken of his desire to play in the Premier League after declaring he wishes to play in England in the future last year.
Speaking of the ex-Borussia Dortmund man, Enrique told Freebets.com: “I love him so much. Age-wise and the player he is already, what he can become is the perfect style for Klopp.
“Tall, strong, quick, he has goals in him. He will be an amazing option for Liverpool. I know him really well, I watch him play all the time in LaLiga.
“They should have signed him before he went to Real Sociedad, but now he’s there, Real Sociedad are the type of team that if you offer the right amount of money, the player will want to go, and he’ll want to go to Liverpool.”
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He added: “They definitely need another attacker. I love Isak from Sociedad, Raphinha from Leeds, these are the kinds of players Liverpool need to be going for.
“Top players who can become world class players with coaching. I have to be realistic because if you ask me, I’ll tell them to sign [Kylian Mbappe and [Erling] Haaland this summer.
“But I know that’s not the Liverpool way.”
Enrique also believes that Newcastle, who he represented for four years between 2007-2011, will just about beat the drop due to their January business.
Eddie Howe’s side have already brought in Kieran Tripper and Chris Wood, and they are determined to sign Brazilian centre-back Diego Carlos from Sevilla.
Former Villarreal ace Enrique remarked: “Obviously, the signings they’re doing will help and they’re being very active in the transfer market.
“They’ve signed one of the best right-backs in La-Liga for the last few years in Kieran Trippier, they’re in talks with Diego Carlos at the minute, they wanted to sign Lucas Digne.
“You can see they want to improve their squad, have the right manager and players who know they have to prove themselves – that’s why I’m so confident they’ll stay up this season.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not going to be easy because it’s a four-way battle to survive, but they’re doing the right things.
“If they can add a left-back into their transfer activity, they’ll be absolutely fine.”
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