Slot reflects on Isak Liverpool readiness, urging patience as his new No.9 adapts to life with the Reds.
Alexander Isak joined Liverpool on deadline day, but Arne Slot admitted that Isak missed much of pre-season and team training, meaning the club will ease him in carefully.
Slot told reporters at the AXA Training Centre in a press conference that while Isak has the quality Liverpool paid for, expecting him to play full matches right away isn’t realistic.
He praised Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson for managing Isak’s minutes wisely, noting that rushing a player back risks injury and burnout.
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Why Slot wants fans to hold off on high expectations
Slot confirmed Isak’s debut likely won’t involve 90 minutes just yet.
“Don’t expect him every single game 90 minutes on the pitch – that’s definitely not going to happen in the upcoming weeks.”
Slot admitted that Isak’s arrival is a major deal: the work behind the scenes, negotiations, medicals—all came together at the last moment.
He said the club, staff, and ownership “worked so hard to get that deal done,” and that it’s “very good for the club, for our fans, for the players, for me, that all the work they’ve put in resulted in Alex signing for us.”
Slot also spoke about not knowing Isak personally yet. He called him a quality player, emphasized that he needs time and reaffirmed that Liverpool signed him for the long haul.
He stressed that short bursts of time off the bench may happen before full match involvement.
Fans may be eager to see Isak smashing goals from day one, but Slot’s message is clear: patience matters.
He’s built Isak’s arrival on a foundation of long-term gain, not instant gratification.
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