Chris Sutton, has cited Alexander Isak struggles to be the source of Liverpool’s problems in recent games, following the defending champions’ recent loss to Brentford in the Premier League.
Isak had a summer standoff with Newcastle United, his former club, over a summer transfer away from the club. The Swede claimed that the Magpies broke promises made to him to seek opportunities elsewhere when the time was right.
Liverpool’s interest in him was the worst-kept secret in football, and the player seemed keen to join the Reds. However, both clubs could not come to an agreement, forcing Isak to take matters into his own hands.
His solution earned him a £125 million move to Anfield, but at the expense of his fitness. The former Borussia Dortmund striker was unable to participate in preseason training and health checks and only got his move to Anfield just as the season was about to commence.
He has since struggled to show the levels he did last season, which made him one of the world’s most sought-after strikers. This has also coincided with Arne Slot’s team being unable to play the football that brought them league success last season and almost won them the treble.
Sutton, who once represented Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League and now contributes his knowledge as a pundit and a columnist for different football dailies, referenced these as the source of Isak’s and Liverpool’s struggles this season in his column for BBC Sport.
“It feels like what has happened to him is a case of you reap what you sow. Isak has been short of full fitness and especially sharpness all season anyway,” Sutton wrote.
“He did not help himself there by missing training with Newcastle in order to try to force his move to Anfield through.”
“Isak is too good a player not to eventually start scoring goals, but this whole situation has affected Liverpool as a team too, because his lack of fitness is one of the reasons they have not clicked in the final third yet.”
Slot has spoken on the issue previously, saying, “When he [Isak] came, he hardly had trained.
“You try to prepare players for once-a-week football, but if you are Liverpool and you play every three days, or normally three times in eight days, then you try to prepare them for that program.”
“It is not always so easy if you don’t have a pre-season, so that’s what we tried to do. He missed out on preseason and didn’t train for a long time with the team.”
