Jamie Carragher tells Liverpool they 'will not defend' title unless transfer plan changes

Jamie Carragher insists Liverpool will not be able to retain their Premier League crown without landing at least one new forward as he urged the club to consider a back-up to Alexander Isak.

The Reds remain keen on the Newcastle frontman, who is trying to force his exit from St James' Park. Liverpool have tested their resolve by offering £110million, but that was quickly rejected by the Magpies.

Arne Slot has overseen an attacking overhaul with Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez both moving on. Hugo Ekitike has come in from Frankfurt, but he is just one of four recognised forwards on the books alongside Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa, with the club still mourning the tragic death of Diogo Jota.

Despite the quality they possess Carragher insists that trio cannot be relied on to produce the goals that will fire Liverpool to another Premier League success - especially with Salah leaving for a prolonged period to compete for Egypt later this season.

As a result he's adamant that they need to begin drawing up alternatives to Isak should it become clear that Newcastle will not sell their leading light.

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He wrote in the Telegraph: "Slot will not defend the crown with only three out-and-out attackers of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike. They cannot carry the goalscoring burden without at least one more, preferably two, top-class operators across the front line, especially as Salah will be on Africa Cup of Nations duty in December. Liverpool must be ruthless. It cannot be 'Isak or no one'."

Liverpool have long been praised for their transfer activity, which has earned them the right to a degree of trust. And Carragher admits after Diaz's exit for Bayern Munich "there was an assumption they had a younger replacement lined up" - but nothing has yet come to fruition.

The Reds are running out of time to source more goals and Carragher insists that if a deal is not struck by early next week, that the club "must accept that it is not going to happen in this transfer window."

British-record signing Florian Wirtz will offer huge creativity and has shown that he has an eye for goal, but is not the out and out attacker which Liverpool have often looked to in more recent years. In their opening night win over Bournemouth Salah, Gakpo and Ekitike were all on target, but the lack of depth beyond them remains the concern.

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