Liverpool star faces 'big shock' with Arne Slot under pressure

Arne Slot has been cautioned that expectations have reached unprecedented levels at Liverpool following a £300million investment in strengthening a squad that swept to Premier League glory last term. The Reds boss' fellow Dutchman Wim Kieft, the ex-international frontman turned leading pundit in Holland, believes the pressure at Anfield will intensify further should Liverpool secure a £15million swoop for Newcastle's Alexander Isak before the transfer window shuts.

Liverpool have already secured Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong in the most ambitious recruitment drive in the club's history. Kieft remarked: "What Slot did at Liverpool in his first year deserves applause. I still think it is wrong to think that Slot's ideas and methods are head and shoulders above the visions of other managers.

"He has been pumping fresh blood in his team of champions with big-money signings - and he had a decent team! If he now succeeds in getting Alexander Isak away from Newcastle, he would have a really great number of additions.

"It must be wonderful for Slot that he is allowed to spend, but bringing in all these big stars means a really big amount of responsibility for him now.

"It is clear now that this is no longer the team of Jurgen Klopp. It really is the team of Arne Slot and that allows us to really judge Slot. If he does get Isak, he really will have some team on paper."

Liverpool head to Newcastle on Monday evening following a summer of pursuing the Swedish striker for Anfield. The Magpies have maintained that their forward will not be sold unless his full valuation is met - and Isak has frustrated the Toon Army even more by declining to feature.

The champions will need to handle a fiery St James' Park atmosphere alongside an Eddie Howe team that will be fired up by their boss ahead of kick-off. Liverpool began their title defence by defeating Bournemouth last week.

However, it was a display riddled with defensive mistakes and Kieft questions whether all of Slot's new signings will thrive at Anfield.

He added: "We all saw how it went with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United when he found out that not every big status or big-name player can adapt to English football.

"Of course, Florian Wirtz is a fabulous player who will succeed. But Hugo Ekitike, who they took from Frankfurt, hasn't exactly scored an amount of goals before like Isak, has he?".

"Players like him can get a big shock when they get to know the real ferocity of the Premier League."