Liverpool manager Arne Slot has made a surprising admission about his plans for record signing Alexander Isak, confirming he's prepared to select the Swedish striker ahead of potentially fitter teammates in a bold attempt to accelerate his integration into the team.
The £125 Million Gamble
Liverpool's British-record £125million acquisition from Newcastle United has struggled to make an impact since his dramatic deadline day move. Isak, who was forced to train away from Newcastle's first-team during the transfer saga, has managed just one goal in eight appearances for his new club - a solitary strike against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
The 24-year-old's difficulties have been compounded by fitness issues, with a groin injury sidelining him for Liverpool's last five matches. Since becoming a Red, Isak has accumulated only 429 minutes of playing time, partly due to a disrupted pre-season that saw him training independently.
Slot's Strategic Approach
Slot revealed his unconventional thinking when discussing Isak's situation, stating: "I do know that 100 per cent fit Alexander Isak is a big, big, big plus for this team. But for him to get there, he might need to have minutes where you could argue that another player might be further ahead of him in terms of match fitness."
The Dutch manager provided concerning statistics about Isak's physical condition, noting: "He did one time a sprint above 30km/h in four months. He didn't do a lot of high-intensity runs. So we had to build him up, which is normal, if you have been training on your own."
Broader Signing Struggles
Isak isn't alone in finding the transition to Liverpool challenging under Slot's new regime. Florian Wirtz, previously the club's record signing before Isak's arrival, has similarly struggled to replicate the form that made him a star at Bayer Leverkusen.
The summer recruitment drive has seen mixed results, with Milos Kerkez's £40m move from Bournemouth yet to yield regular first-team football, while Jeremie Frimpong has been plagued by persistent injury problems since joining the Reds.
Slot remains optimistic about Isak's potential, observing: "I can see in training sessions, if he is fully rested, then you can see his quality. We play in short spaces, so the ball comes a lot to him. But 11 v 11 on a big pitch, there is a lot of running and not much touching the ball. It will still take a bit of time but he will end up being the player he was at Newcastle if we get him fit."
The contrast with Isak's previous campaign is stark - the striker netted 27 times for Newcastle last season, including a spectacular goal in a 3-3 draw against Liverpool at St James' Park. Liverpool fans will be hoping Slot's patient approach pays similar dividends as they seek to integrate their expensive new asset.
