![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0_West-Ham-United-v-Liverpool-Premier-League.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAlexander Isak endured a difficult first season at Liverpool under Arne Slot, but has a fresh start with Andoni Iraola now head coach<\/p>\n
Former Liverpool head coach Arne Slot (left) with record signing Alexander Isak(Image: Photo by Alex Pantling\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Alexander Isak has not looked like the same player who was terrorising defences at Newcastle United since recovering from serious injury at Liverpool, but he was not helped by the tinkering of Arne Slot.<\/p>\n
That’s according to former Premier League<\/a> star Dwight Yorke, who has had his say on the Reds’ record-breaking summer transfer.<\/p>\n The then Premier League champions broke new ground 11 months ago when they controversially secured a \u00a3125m deal to sign Isak<\/a> from the reluctant Magpies after the player effectively went on strike.<\/p>\n Isak<\/a> did not hit the ground running, however, arriving on Merseyside unfit before suffering a broken leg against Tottenham Hotspur in December, ruling him out for over three months. On his return, the Swede struggled to get back up to speed, leaving question marks over Liverpool’s<\/a> wisdom in breaking the bank for the 26-year-old forward.<\/p>\n And former Manchester United striker Yorke, who won three Premier League titles with the Red Devils, is unsure whether Isak will be able to recover the scintillating form that earned him his big-money move in the first place.<\/p>\n Speaking to Football betting<\/a> specialists BOYLE Sports, Yorke said: “Alexander Isak has been in a difficult situation. I was a huge fan of his when he was at Newcastle United but I never knew the injuries that he has had so I don\u2019t know what kind of mentality he has needed to come back from that to be the same player.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s always the same. After major injuries you\u2019ve never quite the same and he hasn\u2019t looked anywhere near to the player I loved at Newcastle.<\/p>\n “That might be a little bit of a concern for Liverpool but I think he’s working extremely hard. He’s really trying to get back to that level. I’m just not sure if that’s going to happen for him.<\/p>\n “It\u2019ll be interesting to see how he gets on this season under the new manager, Andoni Iraola, and how he sees it and what he wants to do with the team.”<\/p>\n Yorke was also highly critical of former Liverpool<\/a> head coach Slot’s tendency to rotate Isak with fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike, creating uncertainty for the Swede as he was trying to establish himself as Liverpool’s main man.<\/p>\n “When Ekitike was keeping Isak out of the team, you\u2019re not feeling like you\u2019re worth \u00a3120m and that\u2019s when the doubts start to kick in,” added Yorke. “And you\u2019ve got the previous manager messing you around and not playing you, chopping and changing every few seconds. Liverpool were never going to get the best out of a player like Isak in that environment, I don\u2019t think.<\/p>\n FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo’s dedicated LFC Facebook page<\/a><\/p>\n “If you\u2019re a striker, you want to be told you\u2019re the number one, and if you\u2019re not getting that message from the manager, then you\u2019ve got a long season ahead of you. It\u2019s not the situation you want to be in.<\/p>\n “Obviously, you’ve got to earn the right to play and say I\u2019m the number one, but there\u2019s nothing better than hearing that from the manager to say you are my guy.”<\/p>\n Isak will now be hoping to hear exactly that from Iraola, after the Spaniard succeeded Slot in becoming Liverpool’s next head coach. Despite a disappointing season just gone under the Dutchman, Yorke sees no reason why the Reds should no be challenging for the title once more when the new campaign gets underway.<\/p>\n He said: “Liverpool are a threat. If you spend \u00a3500m on new players you\u2019re a threat. That\u2019s it. Otherwise, what\u2019s the point? You can\u2019t spend \u00a3500m to go backwards. That makes no sense. Of course they are going to compete this year. Liverpool are coming into this season wanting to win the Premier League title. This squad has got the taste for winning titles in the Premier League and the Champions League<\/a>. They want to win it all again.<\/p>\n “When you\u2019re signing players for \u00a3116m and \u00a3120m, these are the numbers that mean you have to win the league. You can\u2019t be off the pace, especially this year, because Manchester City are in a moment of change so the title race is wide open.<\/p>\n “Any team that has something about them can win the Premier League this season, no problem. I\u2019m not buying into this idea that Liverpool are going to be way off. No chance. Not with the investment that\u2019s gone into that squad over the last few years.”<\/p>\n Get the best Liverpool FC news and analysis straight to your Inbox courtesy of the Echo!<\/p>\n It’s as simple as 1-2-3.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0_Screenshot-2026-06-03-at-133610.png\")
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