Former Premier League striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has said that Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz must step up following for Liverpool following Mohamed Salah‘s departure at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Salah, 34, ended a hugely successful near decade-long stint at Anfield and has since joined Turkish side Trabzonspor on a free transfer. He departs Merseyside with a rich haul of 257 goals and 123 assists in 441 games across competitions in nine seasons, winning every major trophy except the UEFA Europa League.
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Isak and Wirtz arrived at Anfield last summer on a reported £241 million, becoming the club’s two most expensive players, but failed to live up to their lofty price tag in their debut season for the Reds.
“These Liverpool fans will look at Wirtz, and Isak and there’s no excuses,” Agbonlahor told talkSPORT Breakfast about the duo. “Don’t want to hear it. They have to perform now.”
Agbonlahor added:
“What do Liverpool need this season? They need a £125million striker to play like one, and they need him to have a season like he had in 2024/2025 for Newcastle where we got 23 Premier League goals in 34 appearances.
“He owes Liverpool this season. There’s no more chains on this team. Now that Salah’s gone there’s no one out there that can get Salah’s numbers left footed on the wing on that right side.”
Wirtz played nearly 50 games across competitions, contributing seven goals and five assists, while Isak played just 17 times, registering four goals and an assist, missing a lot of games due to injuries.
What’s next for Liverpool?
Liverpool continue their pre-season when they host AS Monaco at Anfield on Sunday (August 9). The Reds are coming off a 4-2 loss to Leeds United in Chicago last week, conceding four times in the last 30 minutes to squander a two-goal lead.
Earlier, new head coach Andoni Iraola’s side had commenced their pre-seaon with a 4-2 win over Sunderland before beating Wrexham 1-0. Following the Monaco game, the Reds take on Como on August 16 in their final pre-season friendly.
Iraola’s side open the new season with a Premier League trip to Newcastle United on August 23. The Reds finished a whopping 25 points behind champions Arsenal as their title defence in the league ended in a whimper.
Edited by Bhargav
