Liverpool new signings power rankings: Alexander Isak above Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike leads the way

Football fans very rarely welcome the intervention of international football, but Liverpool supporters could arguably not have wished for a better time for a two-week reset amid their team's unexpected plight in 2025-26.

Even when Arne Slot's Premier League champions were winning game after game at the start of the new term, truly convincing victories were in short supply, and the Dutchman's outfit were condemned to a disheartening three straight defeats in all competitions before the international hiatus.

Galatasaray, Chelsea and Crystal Palace all got the better of the Reds, whose 2-1 loss to the Blues meant they lost their grip on first place in the Premier League table to Arsenal, although the gap to the Gunners is just a solitary point.

Nevertheless, Liverpool's record-breaking £400m+ summer outlay is yet to have the desired effect, but expecting the Reds to operate as a flawless winning machine after a period of upheaval - not to mention Diogo Jota's death - was perhaps unrealistic.

However, Slot has so far failed to get the most out of some of his marquee arrivals, and here, Sports Mole ranks all of Liverpool's seven summer signings who have played at least a minute for the club this season, discounting backup goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Liverpool power rankings: 7. Jeremie Frimpong

Jeremie Frimpong had the hard task of trying to replace the irreplaceable Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Liverpool backline, and there were justified concerns about how the Dutchman would fit into Slot's system.

Heralded for his attacking capabilities as Xabi Alonso's right wing-back at Bayer Leverkusen, Frimpong is now growing accustomed to the duties of an out-and-out right-back, and to his credit, he did find the net for the Reds in the Community Shield with a freak finish.

However, Frimpong has started just one Premier League game - the opener against Bournemouth, where he got injured - and has since found it hard to displace emergency option Dominik Szoboszlai or his anticipated backup, Conor Bradley, in that role.

The 24-year-old was also part of a failed right-wing experiment in the Champions League defeat to Galatasaray, but while he sits bottom of our power rankings, those just above him are hardly streets ahead.

Liverpool power rankings: 6. Florian Wirtz

A trademark of the Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool was the lack of a genuine number 10 in the Reds' formation, thanks partly to Alexander-Arnold's creative excellence as well as that of Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

£125m man Florian Wirtz may not see himself as an out-and-out number 10 either - the German is equally adept at coming inside from the left - but wherever he has played for Liverpool so far, he has not cut the mustard.

Since supplying an assist in the Community Shield, Wirtz has failed to score or set up a teammate in nine consecutive appearances across all competitions, and his lack of decisive contributions means that he is already fighting to retain his place in the first XI.

The 22-year-old has often been operating too deep for fans' and pundits' liking, but one statistic offers hope for the future; Wirtz has registered an average of 4.48 shot-creating actions in the 2025-26 Premier League season - only six players have managed more.

Liverpool power rankings: 5. Milos Kerkez

Milos Kerkez managed to immediately displace Andrew Robertson as Liverpool's first-choice left-back upon his arrival, but the Hungarian has done little of note aside from that.

Kerkez was famed for his explosive overlapping runs in Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth side, ostensibly making him the perfect Robertson successor, but there have been more negatives than positives to his start to life at the club.

The defender is still without a goal or assist 11 games into his Reds career, and his most notable performance so far was his 38-minute cameo against Burnley, where he was taken off before half time on account of a particularly shaky showing.

Kerkez also lasted just 55 minutes in the loss to Chelsea, but it is easy to forget he is still just 21 years old, and Slot retains complete trust in him for the time being.

Liverpool power rankings: 4. Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak's complete lack of a pre-season with either Liverpool or Newcastle United means he is afforded some benefit of the doubt, and the £125m is slowly but surely starting to get going in a red kit.

There was virtually no chance of the Premier League's all-time record signing immediately picking up where he left off, but two goal contributions from his last four matches is far from a woeful return.

A second start brought a first goal for Isak against Southampton in the EFL Cup, while he also set up Cody Gakpo's strike against Chelsea, although the jury may still be out on whether he meant his deft touch down for the Dutchman or not.

Now, the Sweden international has affirmed that he is ready for the full 90 minutes in a Liverpool shirt, and there is undoubtedly more to come from Isak as the nights draw in.

Liverpool power rankings: 3. Giorgi Mamardashvili

Experiencing two baptisms of fire at Liverpool so far, Giorgi Mamardashvili was thrown on for his debut in the Galatasaray cauldron following Alisson Becker's injury, before his maiden Premier League appearance away to Chelsea last time out.

The Georgia international had little to do in the Champions League loss to the Turkish side, keeping a clean sheet during his 34 minutes on the field, and there was also not much he could have done to prevent either of Chelsea's strikes at Stamford Bridge.

Mamardashvili nevertheless made four strong stops to prevent the Blues winning more emphatically, as well as registering two successful run-outs from two attempts and making two high claims.

Exactly how long Alisson will be out for is still uncertain, but as indispensable as the Brazilian is, Liverpool supporters have been able to breathe a little easier thanks to the presence of Mamardashvili.

Liverpool power rankings: 2. Giovanni Leoni

Any Arsenal fans watching Liverpool's EFL Cup win over Southampton ought to have sympathised with their title rivals.

The Gunners memorably lost defender Jurrien Timber to an ACL injury on his debut in 2023, and just over two years later, Liverpool new boy Giovanni Leoni suffered the exact same fate against the Saints.

However, prior to the teenager's devastating rupture, he was virtually flawless, making six clearances, three interceptions, three recoveries and winning all three of his aerial duels against Will Still's side.

Leoni would certainly have enjoyed numerous opportunities in the Premier League this season thanks to Liverpool's centre-back shortage, but the promise he showed on his debut means that Reds fans will be eagerly awaiting his return.

Liverpool power rankings: 1. Hugo Ekitike

Leaving aside one of the most nonsensical red cards in football history, Hugo Ekitike has been by far and away the Reds' most successful purchase in the summer transfer window, taking to English football like a duck to water.

The Frenchman has already found the back of the net five times in 10 appearances, including goals in each of his first three games for the club - the first Liverpool player to manage that feat since Daniel Sturridge in 2013.

What is more, Ekitike has managed his eye-catching contributions without completing the full 90 minutes in any of his Liverpool appearances, and only Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo have registered more non-penalty goals and assists per 90 in the 2025-26 Premier League.

Admittedly against weak competition so far, Ekitike was an obvious pick for first place in our power rankings, although he would do well to think twice before any future shirt-stripping celebrations.