Liverpool 'eye' £60 million-rated forward as Alexander Isak alternative amid Arsenal interest

As Liverpool move closer to winning the Premier League title, Arne Slot is already looking to strengthen their squad with a new striker.

Slot’s first season at Anfield has seen Liverpool perform very consistently in the Premier League, leaving them a maximum of just six points away from guaranteeing their 20th English top division title.

Despite this, the Dutch boss is reported to be plotting to further build upon his squad, with the club having been linked with a move for Newcastle hotshot Alexander Isak.

However, with Newcastle potentially setting too high a price for the Swedish striker, Liverpool could instead turn their attention elsewhere and target another Premier League star.

Liverpool have been linked with several of the most exciting strikers in Europe in recent months, but it is now believed that they could be interested in Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins.

Watkins is perhaps best known for scoring England’s last gasp semi-final winner over the Netherlands at Euro 2024.

Although the Villa man has yet to hit 20 goals in a Premier League season, his hard-working style up front could be a good fit for Liverpool.

The 20-year-old's highest goalscoring return in the Premier League came last season, when he hit 19 goals in 37 games to help Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League.

And while Watkins does not having a particularly good record when playing against Liverpool in terms of wins, the big striker has made his mark on the Reds.

In 10 Premier League games against Liverpool, Watkins has scored six goals. This includes a hat-trick against them in Villa’s 7-2 win in 2020.

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The England striker has had something of a frustrating recent period at Villa Park. In 2025, Villa have played 13 Premier League games, with Watkins playing 90 minutes on only five of those occasions.

With Marcus Rashford now playing more of a central role in the Aston Villa side, it has raised question marks over Watkins’ long-term future at the club, with the England striker is under contract at Villa until 2028.

Arsenal were the last club to put a bid in for Watkins, yet their £40m offer made in January was seen as some considerably way below his valuation.

While Liverpool may consider the long-term future of striker Darwin Nunez, who has scored just five league goals this season, Watkins could represent a better option to lead the line for Slot's men next season.