Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney claims Alexander Isak “doesn’t deserve” to be starting games for Liverpool ahead of Hugo Ekitike.

The Merseyside club’s record signing started the 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United at the weekend, and speaking in the aftermath of the game, Rooney said:

“I wouldn’t play Isak, he hasn’t looked ready since coming from Newcastle He hasn’t trained, hasn’t had a pre-season. It’s so important. While Newcastle were training he was probably sat at home on the phone to his agent for six hours a day trying to get a move.”

“It’s so difficult when you don’t have a pre-season. He might’ve done stuff by himself but he’s paying the price of it. On performances, he doesn’t deserve to be playing ahead of Ekitike.”

The forward’s numbers don’t make for good reading

The 26-year-old has made 7 appearances in total since his £125m move from Newcastle at the beginning of last month, and he has just one solitary goal to show for it.

To be fair, Isak has only started 5 of those fixtures, and one of those lasted 45 minutes. Even so, he needs to get up to speed quickly, as he is not pulling his weight when leading the line.

Will Liverpool persist with Isak?

Despite what Rooney says, head coach Arne Slot will feel there is room for both the Swedish international and Ekitike to get their fair share of starts.

You would back the Frenchman to be named in the first eleven when the Reds take on his former club, Eintracht Frankfurt, in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Isak won’t be given endless opportunities by Slot, though, despite his price tag, so it will be interesting to see how things unfold over the coming weeks.

Read more about the Liverpool First Team Squad for 2025/26 here