Alexander Isak has not played since breaking his foot in the win over Tottenham in December, but Liverpool manager Arne Slott has warned fans not to expect the £125m striker to be back to his best form anytime soon.
Alexander Isak is expected to return to Liverpool training in the coming weeks (Image: Nikki Dyer – LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
It would be the understatement of this campaign to suggest that this was not what Alexander Isak expected when he decided to join Liverpool for £125m.
In a season of often bad luck at Anfield, few players have endured as tough a situation as the most expensive player in English football history.
Isak has put in an effort rarely seen in the modern game to achieve his dream move from Newcastle United to the Premier League champions, but there was an understanding within his new club that it would take time for him to return to the standards expected of a striker who had only beaten Mohamed Salah the previous season. He hadn’t played for his former club all summer.
The Sweden international established himself as one of the best forwards in the English game during his time on Tyneside, scoring 54 goals in three seasons, with 44 of those coming in his last two seasons, the Liverpool Echo reports.
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A specially designed training program was devised to bring him as close to 100% as possible, having not enjoyed pre-season until his arrival on Merseyside on 1 September, but an immediate international break would complicate matters for the Reds, after which the new number nine would be in the care of the Swedish national team.
The club had been in regular contact with Swedish physio Ben Rosen, but his recovery was further hampered by a groin problem suffered in the 5-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt the following month, in what could become a pivotal moment for both him and Liverpool’s campaign. He broke his foot while scoring the net during a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in December.
Isak has been sidelined since then and is not expected to be able to return to the Reds until early next month, but manager Arne Slott spoke on Friday and warned that expectations about the striker’s quick return to form commensurate with his £125m price tag must be managed, amid mounting speculation over a possible international call-up this month.
“If you ask me now, I would say that I have no expectations[for Isak to represent Sweden],” the head coach said. “But we still have a week and a half off and there is always cooperation between club and country, but I don’t expect him to play for us by then.
“He’s got to mess up the party again. Let’s say (he) comes back at the beginning of April. He was out for three-and-a-half months and didn’t train with the team for three-and-a-half months. The last time he did that, it took him a while to get back into shape.”
“I’m really, really looking forward to him coming back, but don’t get your hopes up again so much that the moment he steps on the field, it’s going to be at the same level that we spent that money on.”
If the absence of such a talented striker wasn’t difficult enough for a manager under such pressure in the slot, it has also resulted in an over-reliance on Hugo Ekitike, the only recognized senior centre-forward in the squad.
Alexander Isaac has been sidelined since December (Image: Mark Atkins, Getty Images)
While Liverpool have developed the French international’s fitness and ability to consistently perform at his best for 90 minutes in a grueling and physically demanding competition like the Premier League, there is no denying that the lack of a genuine replacement has had a negative impact on results.
“A lot of times we felt like we were out there and other guys getting hurt and other guys getting hurt doesn’t help the team. We always felt like we had to do it with 12 or 13 guys,” Slott said.
“It’s always a boost for a team to have everyone available. Look at the recent PSG game (against Chelsea). Hviča Kvaratscheria came on about 30 minutes into the game and scored twice.
“I think Josep Guardiola said the same thing: this is a very tough league, there is no winter break, there are so many games, how important it is to get the players available.
“I don’t think there have been many clubs in the history of this league who have had so many injuries and still performed as well as expected. It’s more difficult in this league than in any other league in the world because there are so many matches at a high level. Manchester City last season was an example of that.”
The end of the tunnel may be in sight for Isak, but it is likely that the Reds will only actually be able to bring the £125m striker back into the squad at the start of next season.
Liverpool had to wait for the right time to sign Alexander Isak. In many ways, that waiting game continues.
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