Alexander Isak Injury Update as Graham Potter Reveals Liverpool Return Timeline
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has been sidelined since December after suffering a leg fracture during a collision with Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven. The £125 million summer signing has been out of action for over two months, missing crucial matches for both club and country.
Injury Details and Recovery Progress
The unfortunate incident occurred during Liverpool's away victory over Tottenham in December, just moments after Isak had scored a fine goal in north London. The 26-year-old Swedish international sustained both an ankle injury and a fibula fracture, requiring immediate surgery to address the damage.
Recent images released by Liverpool show Isak training solo at the club's AXA Training Centre, where he has been participating in gym sessions and light football work. These photographs provide the strongest indication yet that the forward is making significant progress in his rehabilitation journey.
Graham Potter's Optimistic Assessment
Sweden national team manager Graham Potter has revealed that Isak is targeting a return in time for the international break in March. Potter expressed cautious optimism about having both Isak and Tottenham forward Dejan Kulusevski available for Sweden's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on March 26th.
"I hope they can play," Potter told Fotboll Direkt. "But these are big injuries. It's tough to come back from injuries like that by March, but there's a chance. I have spoken to both of them. They are on their way back and are optimistic. They are working very hard at home in the club team in an attempt to play with us in March."
Liverpool Manager's More Cautious Outlook
In contrast to Potter's hopeful assessment, Liverpool manager Arne Slot has offered a more measured perspective on Isak's recovery timeline. Last month, Slot revealed that the striker was still heavily dependent on crutches and had not yet returned to pitch training.
"He's not even on the pitch yet," Slot stated. "He's just out of his walker. So that tells you that he's not on the pitch yet and not expected on the pitch today or tomorrow in terms of his recovery work. It's going to take a while before he's back – as we knew."
Isak's Challenging Debut Season at Liverpool
Before his injury against Tottenham, Isak had scored three goals and provided one assist in 16 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool. His debut season at Anfield has been disrupted by multiple setbacks, including a groin injury sustained shortly after the 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, which kept him sidelined for an additional month.
The striker expressed his disappointment on social media following the injury announcement, writing: "Gutted to be out for a while. Time to recover and support from the side-line. I will work hard to be back as soon as I possibly can. Thank you all Reds and everyone else for the kind messages, it does not go unnoticed! YNWA."
Team Dynamics in Isak's Absence
During Isak's extended absence, fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike has been impressively spearheading Liverpool's attack, raising questions about how both forwards will be accommodated in the team once Isak returns to full fitness. The French striker's strong performances have provided Liverpool with valuable attacking options despite Isak's injury woes.
No specific timeline was initially provided for Isak's recovery when news of his fracture first emerged, adding uncertainty to Liverpool's forward planning. The club's medical staff continues to monitor his progress closely as he works toward a potential March return.
