Arne Slot has poured cold water over the prospect of Alexander Isak starting for new club Liverpool at Burnley on Saturday following the striker’s £125million transfer from Newcastle.
Isak, 25, was the subject of a dramatic summer transfer saga in which he made clear his desire to leave Newcastle for Anfield, with his conduct leading to Eddie Howe exiling him from the Magpies’ first team squad.
As a result, the Sweden attacker has not had a full pre-season to prepare for the 2025-26 campaign, and he played limited minutes on international duty for his country over the recent break.
Slot says Isak is unlikely to start this weekend, but is excited by the impact he expects his new man to make over the course of his Anfield career.
‘First of all, the Swedish manager Tomasson deserves a big compliment because he gets maybe the best striker in the world in and needs him for his country but understands thst playing him might result in injuries, so he took care of the player and he deserves a big compliment for that,’ he said on Friday.
‘We will treat Alex the same, so don’t expect 90 mins every week, he missed pre-season and team sessions so we have to build him up graudually. But that will be a challenge but we have signed him for six years, so this is what the fans have to keep in mind if I bring him in.’
More to follow.
