Alexander Isak is now taking part in beneath Arne Slot at Liverpool, 5 years on from when the Swedish striker proved to be an actual thorn in his new head coach’s facet.
The 25-year-old has turn into the most costly signing ever made by a British membership after finishing a £125m transfer from Newcastle on switch deadline day, bringing an finish to a three-year affiliation with the Magpies which delivered 62 objectives however resulted in acrimony.
4 of these strikes got here in opposition to the Reds, together with one within the Tynesiders’ Carabao Cup triumph at Wembley six months in the past, however that wasn’t the primary time he helped to get the higher of a crew managed by the Dutchman.
Isak as soon as left Slot feeling ‘helpless’
In an article for The Instances reflecting on Isak’s protracted switch to Liverpool, Paul Joyce famous that he and Slot first got here up in opposition to one another virtually 5 years in the past, when the Swede was taking part in for Actual Sociedad and the present LFC boss was answerable for AZ Alkmaar.
It was in a Europa League group stage tie in San Sebastian that the LaLiga facet received 1-0, and though the successful objective didn’t come from our new quantity 9, he and his teammates left a long-lasting impression on the Dutch coach.
Joyce detailed how Slot informed his shut good friend Marcel Keizer after that sport that he “by no means felt so helpless in all my years with AZ” and described La Actual as having “severe gamers”, with present Arsenal duo Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino additionally lining out for the Basque membership that evening.
Slot not has to fret about developing in opposition to Isak!
Little did we all know {that a} Europa League sport in November 2020 (one which supporters couldn’t even attend on account of social distancing guidelines) would lay the foundations for 2 of essentially the most distinguished exponents of their respective fields to return collectively at Liverpool later within the decade.
Should you mentioned on the time that Slot could be Jurgen Klopp’s substitute at Anfield and ship the Premier League title in his first season in cost, and that Isak would assist Newcastle to Carabao Cup glory and Champions League qualification earlier than a messy divorce, it could’ve sounded extremely fanciful at finest.
Alas, such are the celebrities which might align on the planet {of professional} soccer, and the Reds boss knew way back to 2020 that the Swedish striker had an extremely excessive ceiling.
Now that the pair are working collectively at Liverpool, hopefully the Dutchman can encourage our document signing to hit his loftiest heights in a purple shirt and turn into synonymous with a sustained interval of tangible success at Anfield.
4 of Isak’s Actual Sociedad teammates that evening went on to assist Spain to Euro 2024 glory. Right here’s hoping our quantity 9 can turn into a European champion together with his new membership!
