Florentino Perez’s remark paves the way for Liverpool to pursue a £130m star rather than Alexander Isak.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez’s recent remarks about Liverpool could lead the Premier League champions to consider a surprising alternative to Alexander Isak.

Earlier in the transfer window, Liverpool had a £110 million offer for striker Isak turned down by Newcastle. Since then, the 25-year-old has reportedly gone ‘on strike,’ training separately from the first team, and publicly accused Newcastle of ‘breaking promises’ on Instagram—a claim the club denies—while demanding a move.

With the summer transfer deadline approaching, Liverpool have yet to make a second bid for Isak. Manager Arne Slot has confirmed he still wants to bring in another forward alongside Hugo Ekitike, who impressed by scoring and assisting in his Premier League debut during Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Bournemouth last Friday.

Now, Spanish outlet Defensa Central reports that Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior might be available for £130 million, which is less than Newcastle’s over £150 million asking price for Isak.

However, the significant difference between Isak and Vinicius lies in their wages. Vinicius earns around £350,000 per week at Real Madrid, and having signed a contract in 2022, he would likely expect an even higher salary in his next deal—especially after finishing second in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting.

If Liverpool were to pursue Vinicius, they might be encouraged by Perez’s comments following Real Madrid’s signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold. In June, Perez praised Alexander-Arnold as “one of the best full-backs in world football” and highlighted the strong relationship between Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Liverpool fans might recall Sergio Ramos and point out that the relationship between the clubs has often been one-sided, with Real Madrid signing players like Alexander-Arnold, Steve McManaman, and Michael Owen from Liverpool—often for modest fees or on free transfers.

Signing Vinicius would be a major shock in world football, but considering Liverpool’s big spending this summer, it might not be completely out of the question.