Liverpool remain interested in Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi ahead of the final week of the transfer windowAlexander Isak of Newcastle United and Marc Guehi of Crystal PalaceAlexander Isak of Newcastle United and Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool predominantly prefer to get their summer transfer business done early, but they could still make a late splurge in the window for the fourth year running. The Reds have already overseen their busiest and costliest window, adding nine new players to Arne Slot’s ranks.

Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Giovanni Leoni, Armin Pecsi, Will Wright and Freddie Woodman have all arrived, with such an outlay totalling over £320m including add-ons.

Meanwhile, they have banked £227.5m after selling Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, Nat Phillips, Jarell Quansah, Luis Diaz, Tyler Morton, Darwin Nunez and Ben Doak.

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With just over a week to go until the transfer window closes, such a total could rise further with the likes of Kostas Tsimikas and Harvey Elliott still possible exits.

Yet supporters will be more focused on potential incomings, with Liverpool well-documented to still be interested in both Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi.

Speaking ahead of Monday’s trip to Newcastle United, Slot admitted he does not foresee an overly busy end to the transfer window for the club.

“I don’t think [it will be a busy end to the window], because [that would mean] I would be unhappy with the squad and I am happy with the squad we are having,” he said at his pre-match press conference. “I say [having] two players for each position is ideal but sometimes less is more so you are not disappointing players.

“I am happy with the squad but if we think there is a player who can really make us better then this club has always shown they can bring them in. But it needs to be everything we want: right transfer fee, right position and the player wants to come to us.”

However, he has also already admitted that he believes his side still need at least one new attacker following the departures of both Diaz and Nunez, as well as the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car crash at the start of July.

“I see Hugo (Ekitike) mainly as a number nine that could also play from the left or play together with another number nine,” he told Sky Sports ahead of his side’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth. “Because it’s clear that with Darwin gone and Luis Diaz gone, and even last season we had five or six options I think… Again, Diogo, I need to mention him as well… so yeah, we need to have one more attacker – at least.”

Evidently, Isak would be that attacker of choice if the transfer window ends as Liverpool hope.

The Swede has made it clear that he considers his Newcastle United career over and is effectively on strike as he looks to force an exit, with the Reds his destination of choice.

Liverpool had an £110m bid rejected earlier this month, and are understood to be ready to return to the table should they be given encouragement from the North East that a deal could be possible.

Whether such encouragement is forthcoming in the final week of the transfer window remains to be seen.

Isak made headlines earlier this week when he released a statement on Instagram, insisting that his Newcastle career was over as he cited broken promises behind the scenes.

The Magpies responded with a statement of their own, and while they suggested they could consider selling Isak if the right conditions are met, they also insisted that they currently do not see that happening.

With Liverpool set to travel to Newcastle United on Monday night, it is no surprise that the Magpies have not been willing to strike a deal ahead of that clash at St. James’ Park.

Only time will tell if such a stance softens during the final week of the transfer window after their latest encounter, with their so far unsuccessful pursuit of new attacking recruits of their own not aiding Isak’s efforts to depart.

While Newcastle so far remain steadfast in their intention to keep Isak, there are perhaps similarities in the Reds’ pursuit of Guehi.

It was only after Liverpool faced Crystal Palace in the Community Shield earlier this month that talks were opened with the Eagles, with Chairman Steve Parish making it clear that the Londoners would favour selling a player rather than losing him for free at the end of his contract next summer.

“If Marc wants to sign a contract, he can stay,” he said after Palace’s Europa Conference League victory over Fredrikstad. “If he doesn’t, then we have to look at it. It’s a difficult situation.

“If you are in Europe, the financial rules are a lot tighter than the Premier League. Everybody has to sell players to comply.

“Players leaving on a free is not ideal, I’m not going to pretend it is. That’s a situation we have to look at in the next eleven days.”

Guehi is understood to be keen on the move to Anfield, but the Londoners are believed to currently be asking far in excess of what the Reds are willing to offer for a player who has entered the last 12 months of his contract.

For now, he remains a Palace player and continues to represent the Eagles despite ongoing transfer speculation.

The Palace captain helped his side draw 0-0 away at Chelsea on the opening day of the Premier League season before beating Fredrikstad 1-0 in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.

He is likely to again feature for Palace at home to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with manager Oliver Glasner previously admitting that the Eagles cannot afford to let the centre-back leave until after their second leg against Fredrikstad next week.

But with Parish hinting more than once that Palace would favour a summer sale, it is clear that there is a deal there to be done despite the current difference between what Liverpool would be willing to pay and what the Eagles are demanding.

Admittedly, the Reds’ pursuit of Guehi could go down to the wire – certainly if Glasner gets his wish to retain the centre-back for next Thursday’s Europa Conference League second leg against Fredrikstad.

It would leave Liverpool with four days to wrap up a deal for Guehi. At least if they are to be successful in their pursuit of Isak, they will have a full week to negotiate with Newcastle should the Magpies’ stance soften after hosting the Reds.

While Liverpool predominantly like to conclude their summer business early, their hand has been forced otherwise in each of the past three summers with mixed results.

Federico Chiesa joined the Reds in an initial £10m move from Juventus on August 29 last year, and ultimately struggled for fitness and game-time during his first season on Merseyside.

The year before, Liverpool signed Ryan Gravenberch in a £40m move from Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day. While the Netherlands international is now one of Slot’s most important players, he admittedly endured a mixed first season with the club under Jurgen Klopp.

And on summer transfer deadline day in 2022, the Reds reacted to a number of midfield injuries by bringing in Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus. Making just one 13-minute substitute appearance for the club, the less said about his signing, the better.

With Isak and Guehi both long-term Liverpool targets, the hope would be that they will fare much better at Anfield if the Reds are to land their signatures.

In an ideal world, Liverpool would have signed them much earlier this summer. But with Newcastle and Palace perhaps instigating these ‘unofficial’ late transfer deadlines, it is a case of needs must for the Reds.

If they are to sign either Isak or Guehi during the final week of the transfer window, they will have to be patient. While it is something they have looked to avoid in their past, their unpreferred late transfer trend remains poised to potentially continue.