Arne Slot Drops Bombshell on Alexander Isak's Liverpool Debut Timeline
Liverpool boss Arne Slot disclosed that Alexander Isak will be ready to feature for at least 45 minutes with his new team this week, potentially starting with Wednesday's Champions League match.
Isak was notably absent from Liverpool's matchday squad for Sunday's Premier League encounter at Burnley. The Swedish striker had made a short substitute appearance for his national team recently but remains well short of peak physical condition after his controversial summer departure.
His decision to withdraw from Newcastle United's training sessions ultimately facilitated his move to Anfield but has clearly delayed his integration into the team.
Slot told reporters that he chose not to give Isak token minutes at Turf Moor during the weekend to preserve him for more substantial contributions in Liverpool's crucial upcoming matches; specifically, Wednesday's Champions League clash with Atlético Madrid and the upcoming Merseyside derby.
"Alexander is nowhere near prepared for a schedule involving three matches per week at 90 minutes each," Slot explained following his team's hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley without Isak. "We could have used him today for five minutes, then Wednesday for 10, then 15 more, but we don't think that's the proper way to develop his fitness. Sweden handled it correctly by providing quality training sessions without excessive game time, because when you play the athlete, you cannot deliver proper training sessions.
"We followed the same approach, so now he'll be ready, whether Wednesday or Saturday, to feature for 45 minutes minimum and possibly longer, but if he plays 45 on Wednesday, don't anticipate him playing 45 or more on Saturday since his physique isn't conditioned for that in our assessment."
Sources indicate that Isak dedicated much of his break to shooting practice at empty nets and working with stationary training equipment. The 25-year-old's training intensity has been ramped up since joining Liverpool.
"He focused on recovery [Sunday]," Slot confirmed. "He completed an intensive training session [Saturday]. It's quite straightforward to comprehend. When you begin the campaign with players who've been absent for three to five weeks, you establish a foundation, you provide numerous quality sessions before they can manage 45 minutes by week's end.
"We acquired him from Newcastle in a condition where his pre-season preparation essentially begins now, so he requires adequate training time before establishing a foundation, let alone competing twice within three days. That's our method when preparing players initially for once-weekly games at season start, then gradually increasing frequency before establishing the rhythm of twice-weekly matches so they're prepared for that demanding schedule."