Liverpool manager Arne Slot has admitted he was impressed with the debut of new striker Alexander Isak, whose physical fitness took the Dutchman by surprise.
Isak arrived at Liverpool behind schedule after a self-imposed exile at Newcastle United left him drastically short of match fitness by the time he made his record-breaking £125 million ($170.5 million) transfer to Anfield.
After leaving Isak out of his matchday squad for the weekend win over Burnley, Slot warned Liverpool fans their new striker was simply not ready for significant minutes, suggesting anything more than 45 minutes against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday would be a surprise.
Isak ended up playing an hour of the dramatic 3–2 victory, after which Slot gave his verdict on the Sweden international.
“I was positively surprised by how fit he was during that 60 minutes but that maybe, probably, tells you that it might be a difference to sign a 20-year-old from a different league or a 25- or 26-year-old that is used to playing in this league,” Slot confessed.
“Although he only trained for two weeks, he has so many games under his belt that he is probably more able to be ready for 60.
“But I was positively surprised how fit he was, I wasn’t surprised by his quality because that’s what we all know. You don’t have to be a manager to recognise how much quality he has. But it’s always nice to see if a player starts the way he starts, like Hugo Ekitiké [who] started the same as he did.
“Yeah, a good start, only 60 minutes and now we have to build him up from here. But I can tell you he is not going to play 90 again on Saturday [against Everton].”
Replacing Isak against Atlético was another new face in Ekitiké. The Frenchman has had an electric start to life in England, netting three goals in six games, and Slot insisted Ekitiké will still have plenty of opportunities to add to his tally following Isak’s arrival.
“I’m really happy [Isak] could start today. That’s why we didn’t play him against Burnley,” Slot continued. “He was good today and when Hugo came in, he was a big factor also.
“We have two great No. 9s and we’re going to use them, both of them, throughout the whole period they’re here.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Surprised’—Arne Slot Gives Verdict on Alexander Isak’s Liverpool Debut.
