Arne Slot explains Alexander Isak plan as £125m man makes Liverpool return
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SportFootballAlexander IsakThe Swede has been out of action since December after fracturing his leg when scoring against Tottenham HotspurArne Slot has indicated that Alexander Isak could return to the Liverpool squad for the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime.But the Reds boss says it is unrealistic to start the £125m striker in what would be his first appearance on a Reds' team sheet since breaking his leg at Tottenham Hotspur on December 20.Isak hasn't featured for the Reds since suffering the injury when he opened the scoring at Spurs shortly before Christmas. Micky van den Ven caught the No.9 as he fired in his third goal for the club and surgery was subsequently required to correct a fractured fibula and ankle issue.Isak, who is the most expensive footballer in British history, returned to team training with his colleagues on Thursday but while Slot hinted that the two sessions before the trip to the Etihad means he is in line for inclusion, the former Newcastle United striker won't start.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!
All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page"It will definitely be too fast to expect him in the starting line up, he trained with us yesterday for the first time after exactly 101 days out," Slot confirmed."It will take a bit of time to give him a lot of minutes but we will make sure we do the right thing in terms of building him up. What I mean is that it could go to extra time so that makes it more complicated if we think he can only play 10 minutes and bring him on and then it goes to extra time."Maybe a few minutes but let’s wait and see how he is today and how he feels about it himself.
After two training sessions after 100 days, it would not make any sense to start him tomorrow."Slot added: "It wasn’t only that he missed pre-season, he also missed the end of Newcastle’s season and didn’t go with the Sweden national team [last summer]."Our rehab staff did a great job, especially when I look at Alex now compared to where he was before he got injured. That's difficult to say."But I am really happy that I have at least a No.9 again available behind Hugo or together with Hugo so that is already a positive thing and what to expect?"Next season after a proper pre-season we can expect more from him than now but the way he is now is always a big step forward for us compared to what we had."Up to 70% off Liverpool kits and merchThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.