Tag: Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak faces two months on the sidelines after fracturing his leg in a “reckless challenge” from Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven, Liverpool boss Arne Slot said.

The Sweden striker was injured in a tackle from the defender in the act of scoring the opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Spurs.

The Premier League champions said in a statement on Monday the forward had undergone surgery on “an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture”.

 “It’s going to be a long injury, for a couple of months,” Slot told reporters. “So, yeah, that’s a big, big, big disappointment for him. And as a result also of course for us.”

The Dutchman, whose team are fifth in the Premier League, described Van de Ven’s tackle as “reckless”.

 “The tackle of Van de Ven, if you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there’s a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury,” he said.

Isak’s injury is the latest setback for the 26-year-old after he signed from Newcastle for a British record fee of £125 million ($168 million) on transfer deadline day in September.

He arrived at Anfield lacking match fitness after his protracted move and subsequently suffered a groin injury, which set him back further.

Slot admitted it had been a “challenging and difficult period” for his new striker, who has scored just three goals in 16 appearances in all competitions.

But he believes Isak could still play a valuable role later in the season.

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 “You join a new club, usually when you join a new club, he was very excited of course as well, but you want to show immediately all the qualities you have, but that was simply impossible,” said Slot.

 “Maybe no one understands, but if you haven’t trained for three or four months on a serious level with the team, and you are playing in this league you need to be on top of your game to impact a game of football.”

Slot added: “We always knew it would take him time and that’s why he’s so unlucky that he’s now injured because we all saw with his goal against West Ham, with this goal, that he was getting closer and closer to the player he was last season at Newcastle.”

Isak’s absence will be a major blow for Liverpool, with Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo a doubt for Saturday’s home match against bottom club Wolves.

Hugo Ekitike, who has scored five goals in his past four games, and the little-used Federico Chiesa are the only fit senior forwards.

Isak’s injury means Liverpool could boost their attacking options in the January transfer window but Slot was tight-lipped when asked about a potential move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo.

It may also change the conversation around Salah, who had been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia after he took aim at the club in a fiery interview, though he did return to action before his departure for Egypt duty.

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence collapsed after six defeats in seven matches but have recovered somewhat and are presently on a five-game unbeaten run.

Alexander Isak faces two months on the sidelines after fracturing his leg in a “reckless challenge” from Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven, Liverpool boss Arne Slot said.

The Sweden striker was injured in a tackle from the defender in the act of scoring the opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Spurs.

The Premier League champions said in a statement on Monday the forward had undergone surgery on “an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture”.

 “It’s going to be a long injury, for a couple of months,” Slot told reporters. “So, yeah, that’s a big, big, big disappointment for him. And as a result also of course for us.”

The Dutchman, whose team are fifth in the Premier League, described Van de Ven’s tackle as “reckless”.

 “The tackle of Van de Ven, if you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there’s a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury,” he said.

Isak’s injury is the latest setback for the 26-year-old after he signed from Newcastle for a British record fee of £125 million ($168 million) on transfer deadline day in September.

Alexander Isak

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He arrived at Anfield lacking match fitness after his protracted move and subsequently suffered a groin injury, which set him back further.

Slot admitted it had been a “challenging and difficult period” for his new striker, who has scored just three goals in 16 appearances in all competitions.

But he believes Isak could still play a valuable role later in the season.

 “You join a new club, usually when you join a new club, he was very excited of course as well, but you want to show immediately all the qualities you have, but that was simply impossible,” said Slot.

 “Maybe no one understands, but if you haven’t trained for three or four months on a serious level with the team, and you are playing in this league you need to be on top of your game to impact a game of football.”

Slot added: “We always knew it would take him time and that’s why he’s so unlucky that he’s now injured because we all saw with his goal against West Ham, with this goal, that he was getting closer and closer to the player he was last season at Newcastle.”

Isak’s absence will be a major blow for Liverpool, with Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo a doubt for Saturday’s home match against bottom club Wolves.

Hugo Ekitike, who has scored five goals in his past four games, and the little-used Federico Chiesa are the only fit senior forwards.

Isak’s injury means Liverpool could boost their attacking options in the January transfer window but Slot was tight-lipped when asked about a potential move for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo.

It may also change the conversation around Salah, who had been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia after he took aim at the club in a fiery interview, though he did return to action before his departure for Egypt duty.

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence collapsed after six defeats in seven matches but have recovered somewhat and are presently on a five-game unbeaten run.

Alexander Isak came off the bench to score for Liverpool but then went off injured as Arne Slot’s side beat nine-man Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Isak broke the deadlock in the 56th minute but was injured in the act of scoring, before Hugo Ekitike doubled Liverpool’s lead 10 minutes later.

Richarlison came off the bench to pull a goal back for Spurs but the visitors held on to inflict further pain on Thomas Frank, whose side had Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero sent off and have now won just one of their past eight league games.

After a cagey start, Simons was sent off for a foul on Virgil van Dijk in the 33rd minute following a VAR review.

Referee John Brooks was sent to the pitchside monitor and ruled it was “serious foul play” after Simons raked his studs down the calf of Van Dijk – his captain for the Netherlands.

With the game there for the taking, Slot sent Isak on at half-time after Conor Bradley suffered a knock – and the £125m British record signing finished coolly past Guglielmo Vicario after being fed by Florian Wirtz for his first Premier League assist.

However, as Isak got his shot away he was floored by Micky van de Ven and was unable to celebrate his goal.

The Sweden forward looked in serious pain and he was replaced by Jeremie Frimpong just 15 minutes after coming on.

Spurs came close to equalising when Randal Kolo Muani’s deflected effort hit the bar, but Liverpool doubled their advantage in the 66th minute.

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Frimpong’s deflected cross was met by France forward Ekitike, who headed in his fifth goal in his past three league games.

Spurs were furious that the goal was allowed to stand, claiming Ekitike had fouled Romero – with the Tottenham captain subsequently booked for his protests.

Frank introduced Richarlison for Kolo Muani in the 80th minute and three minutes later, the Brazil attacker was on hand to finish past Alisson in a crowded penalty box after Liverpool failed to clear their lines.

The visitors looked nervy as 10-man Tottenham hunted for an equaliser late on, but the hosts had another player sent off when Romero was given a second yellow card in injury time for lashing out at Ibrahima Konate after Spurs won a free-kick.

Liverpool managed to hold on for a victory which moves them up to fifth in the league – and they are now unbeaten in their past six after a run of nine defeats in 12.

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Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed Alexander Isak could make his highly anticipated debut in today’s Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid.

Isak joined the Premier League champions in a British-record £125 million ($169 million) move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.

The 25-year-old did not feature in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Burnley – Liverpool’s first match since his blockbuster transfer – because he is still short of full fitness after missing much of the pre-season.

Isak had trained alone in a bid to force through his switch, leaving him in need of extra work to get up to speed.

“Definitely a chance because he’s in the squad, so then there’s a chance to play. I would usually say 99.9 percent sure, but I can say 100 percent sure he will not play 90 minutes,” Slot told reporters on Tuesday.

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Asked if there was a chance of Isak starting at Anfield, Slot said: “The only thing we’re sure of is he will not play 90.

“He’s part of the squad, so it’s already a Champions League game to look forward to, but if people look forward to his playing time, that could mean that could happen tomorrow as well.”

Isak’s goals helped Newcastle end their 56-year trophy drought when they defeated Liverpool in the League Cup final last season, while the Magpies also qualified for the Champions League thanks in large part to the Swede’s prolific form.

But his only appearance this season came for Sweden in an 18-minute substitute cameo in a 2-0 defeat against Kosovo on September 8.

Slot said getting fit was the striker’s biggest challenge.

“He doesn’t have to prove to anyone that he’s good enough to play in the Premier League, because that’s what he’s proven already at Newcastle,” said the Dutchman.

“So the main challenge he has is to become so fit that he’s first of all ready to do what he did last season.”

The spotlight will be firmly fixed on Isak, which could be a blessing for Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz.

Prior to Isak’s arrival, the German was briefly Liverpool’s club-record signing after his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100 million.

Wirtz has struggled to make an impact, leading to suggestions the hefty price tag is weighing on him.

Slot was quick to defend the 22-year-old, saying: “There’s so much focus on our new signings. He’s been part of a team that is on top of the league, that won four games.

“Yes, he hasn’t scored four goals or 12 assists in the first four games, but for me that’s down to the quality we’ve faced, and he’s part of a team that’s number one in the league at the moment.”

Liverpool’s off-season was dominated by the death of forward Diogo Jota in a car crash in July, which Slot acknowledged had had a profound impact on the club.

Yet despite that trauma and a significant rebuild at the cost of nearly £450 million ($614 million), they are top of the Premier League with four wins in four games.

“It’s only a compliment that people tell everyone that we’ve spent so much because that tells you the players we’ve brought in are seen as very good players,” Slot said.

He added that the team were performing “far above” his expectations.

“For us to be on 12 points now is so much more than I expected, especially after we’ve had so many changes in the group as well,” he said.

Liverpool forward Alexander Isak has begun training with the Reds.

The Swedish forward completed a British record £125m deal from Newcastle on Deadline Day, then immediately linked up with Sweden for the September international break.

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Isak played just 18 minutes of Sweden’s two winless games against Slovenia and Kosovo, but he has now been seen linking up with his new team-mates.

Isak could make his Liverpool debut against Burnley on Sunday.

Alexander Isak said he was glad to be on the pitch again after sealing his record-breaking move to Liverpool as the striker played his first minutes of the season in Sweden’s 2-0 defeat by Kosovo in World Cup qualifiers on Monday.

The 25-year-old completed a 125 million pounds ($169.46 million) switch from Newcastle United to Liverpool on transfer deadline day, bringing an end to a transfer saga that had dragged on throughout the close season.

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“It’s great that everything was settled before the camp and that I could focus on playing football again,” Isak told Swedish media after the defeat in Pristina, where he came on as a second-half substitute. “It’s been a fairly new situation for me, but you always learn and develop mentally off the pitch as well.”

Isak had made it clear he wanted to leave Newcastle at the start of the window and played no part in the club’s pre-season or opening league games, accusing the club of breaking promises and misleading supporters.

“Obviously, not everyone has the full picture, but that’s something for another day,” Isak said.

“I can’t control everything that’s said or written. But I’m happy that I became a Liverpool player.”

Players should not be vilified for forcing through transfer moves, former England star Rio Ferdinand told AFP  following the Alexander Isak saga, adding: “Nice guys don’t win.”

Isak is public enemy number one at Newcastle United after making it clear that he did not want to play for the club again as he attempted to engineer a move to Liverpool.

The Swedish striker got his wish by sealing a British-record £125 million ($167 million) switch to the Premier League champions on Monday.

England defender Marc Guehi however saw his move to Liverpool break down after Crystal Palace vetoed his sale at the last minute.

In contrast to the bitter Isak saga, Guehi earned plaudits for continuing to play and perform for Palace despite Liverpool’s advances.

 “Nice guys don’t win,” former England and Manchester United defender Ferdinand said on the sidelines of the World Football Summit in Hong Kong.

  “The clubs get away with murder in these situations. How many players down the years were denied a move because the clubs said it wasn’t this and it wasn’t that? Being greedy.

 “But players get vilified when they say, ‘It’s a great offer, it’s a load of money, why aren’t you letting me go? I want to go to a club that’s winning trophies.’”

Ferdinand, who moved from Leeds to Manchester United in 2002 for a then-British record fee, added: “Marc Guehi’s not been able to go and everyone’s going, ‘Great, brilliant.’

 “But what if Liverpool don’t buy him now? Or he gets injured, he never gets to that point and he never gets a chance to win trophies?

 “People wonder why players sometimes get bolshie and get their elbows out and say, ‘No, I need to go.’

 “I just think it’s business. Players shouldn’t get vilified –- clubs aren’t and it should be equal.”

The 25-year-old Guehi, who could yet move to Liverpool next summer after his Palace contract expires, is in the England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia over the next week.

Ferdinand, who won the Champions League and six Premier Leagues with United, fears England are struggling for depth in central defence.

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“I’m not saying the quality is really bad, but there’s not enough,” said the 46-year-old, who made 81 appearances for his country in that position.

 “You’ve got Marc Guehi and John Stones, and then after that you’re going… who else is there really?”

England under boss Thomas Tuchel are yet to really impress since the German started in the role at the beginning of the year with the remit of lifting the World Cup.

But Ferdinand said the only thing that matters is what happens at the tournament in North America in June-July.

 “It’s a work in progress and I don’t think we should expect miracles immediately. We don’t want miracles now, you want miracles in the summer,” he said. “Even if there’s a stuttering period now and things aren’t going perfectly well, it’s not panic stations.”

He added: “This is a getting-to-know-you period for the manager and the players.

 “He needs time with the players to get to know who’s who and who gels well.”

Alexander Isak says he will be “forever grateful” to former club Newcastle following his British-record £125 million ($167 million) switch to Liverpool on transfer deadline day.

The 25-year-old striker joined Arne Slot’s Premier League champions on Monday on a six-year deal. Isak’s switch to Anfield ends a prolonged saga after he effectively went on strike while searching for a move.

He did not feature in Newcastle’s pre-season or their opening three Premier League fixtures.

Newcastle fans turned on former favourite Isak in his absence.

 “We don’t care about Isak,” they chanted during Saturday’s goalless draw at Leeds United. “He don’t care about me, all we care about is NUFC.”

The Sweden forward scored 54 times in 86 league appearances during his time at St James’ Park and struck in the League Cup final earlier this year as the Magpies clinched their first major piece of silverware for 56 years.

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“I want to express my gratitude to my teammates, the staff, and above all, the city of Newcastle and all the amazing supporters for the three unforgettable years we shared together,” Isak said in a statement on Instagram.

“Together, we have written history and brought the club to the place where it truly belongs. It has been an honour to be part of the journey.”

He added: “Forever grateful. Thank you, Newcastle.”

Newcastle brought in Germany international forward Nick Woltemade and DR Congo forward Yoane Wissa during the window.

The Magpies issued a short statement on Monday following Isak’s departure.

“Newcastle can announce the sale of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a significant British record transfer fee,” the statement said. “The Sweden international joined the Magpies from Real Sociedad in 2022 and made 109 appearances in all competitions.”

Sweden have called up Alexander Isak for next month’s World Cup qualifiers despite the striker’s standoff with his Premier League club Newcastle United.

The 21-year-old missed Newcastle’s pre-season tour and was left to train alone after he tried to force a transfer, a situation his manager Eddie Howe described as “lose-lose”.

“First and foremost, it is not an ideal situation. Ideally, the player should have been training and playing with the club team,” Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson said on Wednesday.

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Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has also been called up, but Tottenham Hotspur’s Dejan Kulusevski will miss out through injury and captain Victor Lindelof is unavailable after leaving Manchester United and not having joined another club.

“Victor (Lindelof) is an important player for us, but right now he doesn’t have a club and hasn’t trained collectively,” Tomasson said.

Sweden play away games against Slovenia on September 5 and Kosovo three days later.

Al-Hilal are reportedly preparing an offer in excess of £130m for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak.

The Sweden international has allegedly told Newcastle that he wants to leave this summer.

Eyebrows were raised when the 25-year-old was left out of the Magpies squad for their pre-season tour of Asia, with the club insisting that the centre-forward was dealing with a minor thigh issue.

However, it has since been widely reported that Isak has communicated to Eddie Howe’s side that he wants to leave this summer, and he therefore did not want to travel on the pre-season tour.

Liverpool continue to be heavily linked with the Swede, with the Reds viewed as the favourites to sign him, but a potential deal has been complicated due to the club’s recent acquisition of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.

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Newcastle allegedly value Isak at £150m, and with the striker having a contract at St James’ Park until the summer of 2028, the Magpies are in a strong position when it comes to his future.

According to talkSPORT, amid the interest from Liverpool, Al-Hilal are currently preparing to make an offer in excess of £130m, as the Saudi Pro League side look to complete a sensational deal.

Al-Hilal, who are now managed by Simone Inzaghi following his arrival from Inter Milan, finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season, and they have the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Theo Hernandez and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in their ranks.

There is believed to be more Saudi interest in Isak, but Al-Hilal are viewed as the main contenders at this stage, and it is understood that Newcastle would be in favour of selling the striker to the Saudi Pro League if they were unable to keep him.