Swedish striker Alexander Isak endured a challenging debut season at Liverpool under Arne Slot, but this year he has the opportunity to start fresh under Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool is entering a new chapter with Iraola at the helm, and few will be as ready to embrace it as Alexander Isak. When the most expensive player in British football dons the Reds’ shirt for the first time since May on Sunday in Chicago, the £125 million forward may feel compelled to remind many exactly why the hype surrounds him.
At this time last year, Isak was training alone at the facilities of his former club Real Sociedad after refusing to join Newcastle’s preseason tour in the Far East. Determined to leave St James’ Park, he felt the club had broken promises, particularly regarding a new contract.
He scored his first Premier League goal against West Ham in late November and his second in the match versus Tottenham on December 20. However, that would be his last goal for over four months due to a tackle by Micky van de Ven that left Isak with a broken leg.
The forward feared he might miss the 2026 World Cup with Sweden. Yet, he performed well in the tournament, contributing one goal and three assists, and now he has returned to the club ready to make his mark.
“Alex is a fantastic player. He arrived at preseason in good shape, performed well at the World Cup, and feels comfortable. He will be able to play against Leeds and complete a full preseason. Hopefully, three to four weeks of quality training will get him into good form because he will be very important for us,” Iraola said during a press conference in Chicago.
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