Liverpool had the opportunity to sign Alexander Isak in 2022 but ultimately opted to pursue Darwin Núñez instead—a decision that cleared the way for Newcastle United to secure the talented Swedish striker without competition.
At the time, Núñez was signed from Benfica for a then-club-record fee of £85 million, following a standout season in Portugal that had drawn interest from several top European clubs. While Isak was also under consideration—thanks to his impressive displays at Real Sociedad—Jürgen Klopp prioritized the move for Núñez, allowing Newcastle a clear path to bring Isak to St. James’ Park.
As Jürgen Klopp’s stature grew at Anfield, so did his influence over Liverpool’s transfer decisions—particularly after the departure of sporting director Michael Edwards.
In the past, Klopp had expressed a preference for Julian Brandt over Mohamed Salah in 2017 before being persuaded to pursue the Egyptian winger—a decision that proved to be a stroke of genius. However, following Liverpool’s Champions League and Premier League triumphs, Klopp’s voice carried even more weight in recruitment matters.
Former head of research Ian Graham revealed to the Financial Times that Klopp’s strong input was a key reason behind the decision to sign Darwin Núñez over Alexander Isak. Núñez had impressed Liverpool staff by scoring against them in the Champions League, further reinforcing Klopp’s interest.
“Jürgen brought a lot of success to the club, so it’s understandable that things shifted in that direction,” Graham said. “In 2022, we signed Darwin Núñez instead of Alexander Isak. If you ranked top young centre-forwards in Europe at that time, they’d be one and two—or two and three—with Haaland off to Manchester City and out of our financial reach.
“Jürgen preferred Núñez. It would be unfair for me to criticize that choice, especially when, in the past, he had accepted recommendations from me and others. And ultimately, we were still signing quality players—Núñez included, who was regarded as one of Europe’s top young strikers.”
Alexander Isak has emerged as one of the world’s elite strikers since making the move to Newcastle United. In contrast, Liverpool’s decision to pass on him in 2022 has turned out to be a costly one—Newcastle have reaped the rewards, while the Reds are now reportedly revisiting their interest in the Swedish forward as they consider offloading Darwin Núñez this summer.
Núñez’s early struggles in front of goal forced then-manager Jürgen Klopp to publicly defend the striker just months after his arrival. Despite his physical presence and work rate, his finishing often let him down.
Isak, on the other hand, has consistently delivered when it matters—including key goals against Liverpool—and is now valued at over £100 million, with Newcastle keen to keep hold of their prized asset.
Statistically, the contrast is stark: Núñez has netted 25 goals in 95 Premier League appearances, while Isak—despite battling injuries—has scored an impressive 54 goals in just 86 league games for the Magpies.
