Rio Ferdinand shows true colours with Liverpool comments: 'Exceptional and outrageous'

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has warned that it would be "lights out" for the rest of the Premier League if Liverpool complete the signing of Alexander Isak. The ex-England star also eulogised over Liverpool's business this summer.

Despite already securing the services of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, the Reds maintain an active interest in 25-year-old Swedish striker Isak, with the player having informed Newcastle that he would like to explore a move away from the club.

Isak is not on their pre-season tour of Asia either as speculation over a huge switch to Anfield intensifies. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, however, has confirmedthey are yet to receive any formal offers for Isak, but officials at St James' Park are said to be keen on RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko as they ramp up their search for a potential replacement.

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While a transfer for Isak remains in a state of flux, speaking on his podcast, , Ferdinand waxed lyrical over the Reds' activity this summer. Despite being an icon of Liverpool's greatest rivals, Ferdinand – rather than show any bias – couldn't help show his true colours as a football pundit and relay his real belief that Isak would help secure Arne Slot a second Premier League title on the spin.

"Liverpool's transfer window has been nothing short of exceptional so far. It's been an outrageous transfer window, and if they get Isak – it's lights out for the Premier League," Ferdinand said.

"They've got a squad there, they've got a hierarchy, they look stable, they look solid. It's gone too well and if they get Isak, it's over."

Liverpool are hunting for attacking reinforcements, particularly with Luis Diaz poised to join Bayern Munich. Slot and club chiefs believe that Isak would suit their forward line perfectly and link up well with new signing Ekitike, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69 million last week.

However, luring Isak away from St James' Park won't be straightforward, with the Magpies said to be demanding a whopping fee of up to £150 million to sell their prized asset, reports the Liverpool Echo. Newcastle have attributed Isak's continued absence to a minor thigh problem, having also omitted him from their squad for their pre-season clash away at Celtic.

When quizzed about his star forward's future, Howe said: "He is still our player. He's contracted to us. We, to a degree, control what is next for him."

Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, have gone on a summer splurge, with nearly £300m spent so far. Former Red and prolific goalscorer Robbie Fowler reckons Isak would be the perfect finishing touch to a frenzied few months of activity.

"As a Liverpool fan, we would all love to see him, wouldn't we," Fowler told The RedMen TV. "When you look at the Premier League and the goals he scored last year, the types of goals and his performances, he was phenomenal. Hopefully, he can carry that on, and hopefully it will be at Liverpool.

"If you were to pick one player from the Premier League last year who you would have wanted to sign for Liverpool, he would probably be on 90 per cent of people's lips. We probably needed that pivotal striker on the pitch last season. He could be the difference if he were to come."

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