Arne Slot has revealed Alexander Isak is fully fit again after his lack of pre-season, with the £125 million ($166.7m) striker now searching for his first Premier League goal for Liverpool. The Swedish striker might have forced his way out of Newcastle United in a messy transfer saga over the summer, but he is yet to shine since swapping St James' Park for Anfield.
Isak's slow start at Liverpool
Having refused to join Newcastle’s pre-season camp to push through his dream move, Isak arrived at Liverpool lacking match sharpness. Hence, it was no surprise when his first few weeks on Merseyside were something of a slow burn. His only goal so far came in their 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Southampton, and as fans grew impatient to get a glimpse of the ruthless finisher who terrorised defences in black and white, pressure kept building on the forward. Slot claimed that the 26-year-old’s stop-start introduction was deliberate, designed to rebuild his conditioning and avoid any early muscle setbacks. But the wait is finally over, and the Dutch manager can't wait to unleash the beast version of Isak that went missing in the first few weeks.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportSlot backs Isak to start firing
Slot acknowledged that supporters and the media have been quick to question the Swede’s lack of goals, especially after he drew blanks in international defeats to Switzerland and Kosovo. But the Dutch coach urged patience, insisting that form will come once fitness meets confidence.
"Now he has had his five, six weeks of pre-season which is normal for every player, especially if you have been out for three or four months," Slot said at a press conference on Friday.
"Fitness-wise he is close to the level he should be and we can judge him in a fair way from now on. I know how this industry works, if he plays for Sweden twice and doesn’t score that’s not what you’re hoping for, of course.
"You are hoping if they go to the national team they score goals like Cody (Gakpo) did, like Virgil (van Dijk) did, like Dominik (Szoboszlai) did, like (Alexis) MacAllister, did but he didn’t. His pre-season has finished now. He has played a few games, 70, 80, 90 minutes, so let’s see where he is in the upcoming weeks."
Gravenberch & Konate fit again after injury scares
As Liverpool prepare for Sunday’s mammoth Premier League showdown with Manchester United at Anfield, Slot received a welcome double boost. Both midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and defender Ibrahima Konate have been declared fit and available after minor injury scares. Gravenberch was withdrawn during the Netherlands’ win over Finland due to hamstring tightness, while Konate missed France’s fixtures with a slight quad strain picked up against Chelsea two weeks ago. Slot, though, was upbeat about their recoveries.
"Ryan is completely fit, although we still have to train twice," Slot added. "We are in a good place with the Dutch national team if Ronald Koeman can make a decision either to play Tijjani Reijnders or Ryan Gravenberch, so he played them both 45 minutes. Ibou has come back to us, started the sessions again and is expected to train with us today."
While Slot’s optimism is unwavering, not everyone shares his rosy outlook. reporter Lewis Steele, who covers Liverpool closely, warned that Isak’s path to full match sharpness may take longer than the club hopes.
"The road to full fitness is a little bit longer than expected, and there’s a report from one of the Newcastle guys, saying they expect it to be three months until he’s fully fit," he said. "And that is probably about right. He’s been at Liverpool now for four or five weeks, so maybe we are now probably another three or four weeks away from seeing Isak at his best. There have been glimpses, lovely assist on Saturday and he got his goal against Southampton, to be fair he’s got to score that, but he had to be in the right place at the right time. But, the road to full fitness does seem a bit bumpier than me or Slot predicted."
Getty Images SportA gruelling run awaits the Reds
Liverpool have an unenviable calendar after the international break. Following the United clash, the Reds face a relentless stretch of fixtures including Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe, followed by Premier League meetings with Brentford, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, and then a blockbuster Champions League tie against Real Madrid in early November. Slot knows the coming weeks will define Liverpool’s season, and it's no surprise that the manager wants Isak to be at his sharpest for it.