Alexander Isak posted on Instagram: “Looking forward to a much better next season.” His words carried extra weight after a debut campaign at Liverpool that saw him score just four goals, miss four months through injury, and watch his new club finish 25 points behind Arsenal. The £125m striker, the most expensive signing in Premier League history, suffered a severe fractured ankle and fibula in December and played only 21% of the available league minutes.
Liverpool had been widely tipped to retain the title after landing Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez in a bumper summer window. Instead, Arne Slot was sacked and the team limped to fifth place. Now the rebuild falls to Andoni Iraola, with whom Liverpool have begun formal talks. “Those at the club firmly believe 2025-26 was a freak campaign for Isak,” BBC Sport reported.
“Liverpool face a summer rebuild after Isak's injury-hit season and Chiesa's failed exit hopes, with Iraola incoming.”
Federico Chiesa, signed from Juventus, has endured his own frustrations. Limited to 50 outings and only nine starts, the Italian winger is expected to pursue a move this summer. Como, newly qualified for the Champions League, are interested, but president Mirwan Suwarso dampened hopes: “The price for those players is a bit higher than the range we have in mind.” Chiesa himself admitted: “If I don’t find consistency in the Premier League, I’ll have to look elsewhere. I’ll go on a training camp in the US, then I’ll talk to the club and the new manager, Iraola, and we’ll see.”
Other departures are already in motion. Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson left at the end of their contracts, Robertson joining Tottenham. Ibrahima Konate is expected to join Real Madrid, and Harvey Elliott could follow after a disappointing loan at Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Curtis Jones has asked what life is like in Italy, though Alisson is reportedly staying.
Iraola faces the task of reshaping a squad that lost its core—and a striker whose £125m price tag, after a single injury-wrecked season, already hangs heavy over Anfield.