Arne Slot defends £125m signing Alexander Isak and clarifies expectations after Newcastle strike saga
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Liverpool manager Arne Slot has addressed the expectations surrounding their record £125 million signing, Alexander Isak, emphasizing the need for patience due to Isak's lack of recent match fitness. Slot clarified that Isak, who joined Liverpool late in the transfer window after a period marked by injury and a self-imposed training absence at Newcastle United, missed a full pre-season and several months of team sessions. As a result, Isak will not immediately play full matches week-to-week; instead, Liverpool will build his fitness gradually amid a congested fixture schedule and limited training opportunities.
Slot praised Sweden’s national team manager Jon Dahl Tomasson for managing Isak’s workload during international duty, noting that playing Isak for full 90-minute matches could risk injury. Liverpool plans to follow a similar approach, reflecting the club's long-term investment in Isak, who signed for six years.
This cautious approach contrasts with the high expectations attached to the striker, Liverpool’s record signing from Newcastle, where his relationship with manager Eddie Howe deteriorated following Isak’s strike action intended to force his transfer. Howe admitted that communication became difficult towards the end of Isak's time at Newcastle, although he acknowledged Isak’s contributions to the team’s successes.
Meanwhile, football figures such as Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola have offered measured assessments of Isak’s quality, placing him below top strikers like Erling Haaland, despite Slot’s glowing comments labeling Isak as “maybe the best striker in the world.”
In summary, Arne Slot encourages fans to temper their expectations, recognizing Isak’s exceptional talent but emphasizing the physical and integration challenges following his disrupted pre-season and transfer saga.
PP