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BBC journalist questions Liverpool’s £194m signings after mixed start to season

Originally posted on Empire of the Kop
By Peter Kenny Jones | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 6:59 AM ET

It’s been the summer of big strikers, but one BBC Sport journalist believes Liverpool’s two headline signings are already under the microscope.

According to Michael Emons for BBC Sport, the reigning Premier League champions’ new-look front line of Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike has endured a mixed beginning to the 2025–26 campaign.

The two forwards, who cost a combined £194 million, have been rated alongside other major Premier League arrivals in a detailed early-season review.

Isak and Ekitike assessed by BBC Sport

Emons wrote that “question marks remain around how he and Isak will fit into the champions’ team together,” while describing Ekitike as “an instant hit with the fans.”

The Frenchman has scored three goals and provided one assist in six league appearances, though his season briefly derailed when he was sent off for removing his shirt during a Carabao Cup winner celebration.

Isak, meanwhile, has made a slower start after his British-record £125m move from Newcastle.

The Sweden international has yet to register a Premier League goal, though he did score in the cup win over Southampton and has one assist to his name.

With limited pre-season minutes, the 26-year-old has been eased in carefully by Arne Slot and the forward has spoken himself of his own fitness.

Player	Games	Goals	Assists	Minutes	Shots on Target
Hugo Ekitike	6	3	1	386	4
Alexander Isak	3	0	1	181	0

*Premier League

What Liverpool’s front line could look like next

(Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

As we’ve seen before with new arrivals, patience often pays off.

The Reds’ recruitment has focused on long-term balance, and as we’ve also seen with Florian Wirtz, this forward line is still finding its rhythm.

For all the early comparisons and external pressure, what matters most is how the new signings integrate into a system that already made us Premier League champions last season.

As BBC Sport’s analysis highlights, Liverpool’s biggest test this season may not be opposition defences but ensuring that elite players can thrive together under one vision.

You can watch Slot’s post Chelsea press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: