Alexander Isak completed a controversial transfer from Newcastle United to Liverpool earlier this month and Reds manager Arne Slot has responded to criticism of the striker
Ian Doyle Chief Liverpool FC Writer and James Smailes
11:22, 12 Sep 2025
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Alex Livesey – UEFA via Getty Images)
Arne Slot has brushed off criticism of Alexander Isak regarding his transfer to Liverpool – but cautioned fans not to anticipate seeing much of the £125million forward over the coming weeks.
Isak sealed a contentious switch from Newcastle United on deadline day earlier this month after being forced to train in isolation by the Magpies following his clear indication of wanting to move to Anfield.
The striker didn’t appear at all during pre-season and was absent from Newcastle’s opening three fixtures, with the club’s fans expressing their anger at the Sweden international.
The player’s behaviour was slated in numerous circles, with Newcastle issuing a sharp statement when the deal was finally confirmed.
However, Slot commented: “In football there is always criticism, sometimes people cheer for you.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
“I think when he won the League Cup everyone was really happy with him and in other moments you get criticised. This is part of his life, my life, our jobs. Now he is a player for us and I am really happy with that.
“A lot of things happened on the last day (of the transfer window), which is not always the situation because last season we hardly did anything during the whole window. The thing that pleased me most is us getting the deal for Alex over the line.
“I am really happy Alex signed for us because I did feel all the way we needed an attacking player extra and so happy we could bring in the one we wanted.
“(Liverpool sporting director) Richard (Hughes), the ownership, everyone worked so hard to get the deal done, so it is very good for the club, for the fans, the players, for me that all the work they put in resulted in Alex signing for us.”
Isak completed his inaugural training session with his new side on Wednesday and will join up with the complete Liverpool squad for the first time on Friday before Sunday’s Premier League clash at Burnley.
Slot revealed: “Maybe people don’t believe me but I haven’t spoken to him that much. I spoke to him after he signed on the phone as he had to go to the national team and 99% of the time I leave players when they go to the national team so I texted him once or twice.
“I do have to get to know him better in the next weeks. We mainly sign a player also for his qualities. I faced him a few times and know what a quality player he is.”
Isak made his first outing of any description since the conclusion of last season when he entered as a substitute 18 minutes from the final whistle during Sweden’s surprising 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss in Kosovo on Monday.
Concerns were raised in his native country regarding the striker’s restricted involvement with the player having been absent entirely from the 2-2 stalemate against Slovenia three days prior.
However, Slot considers both club and nation will need to exercise caution to avoid overwhelming Isak as he seeks to restore complete match fitness in the forthcoming weeks. “Swedish manager Jon Dahl Tomasson deserves a big compliment because he gets one of the best strikers in the world, maybe the best striker in the world, and needs to play two very important but understands if he plays him twice for 90 minutes then probably the players would have been injured for multiple weeks,” said the Liverpool boss.
“That is not always easy for a manager that he takes care of the interest of a player. We will treat Alex the same as he did. Don’t expect him to be every single game 90 minutes on the pitch. That’s definitely not going to happen for the next few weeks.
“He missed a proper pre-season. I think he missed three or four months of team sessions, so now we have to build him up gradually with us playing so many games and hardly any training time.
“That is going to be a challenge, but we have not just signed him for the upcoming two weeks, we have signed him for six years so this is what we have to keep in mind, and what the fans have to keep in mind if I take him off in a certain moment or I only bring him in for a few moments. That is all for the fitness of the player.”