ARNE SLOT’S REALISTIC STANCE ON ALEXANDER ISAK’S RETURN DOMINATES LIVERPOOL FAN FORUMS
Liverpool boss Arne Slot insists Alexander Isak needs a six-week lead-up to reach the levels seen in last season's final.
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Arne Slot has confirmed that Alexander Isak will be back in time for Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain. However, he urged patience about when fans might see the £125 million forward in top form again, as Isak has been out since late 2025 due to a broken leg.
Isak suffered the injury during Liverpool’s win over Tottenham in December, caught by defender Micky van de Ven shortly after scoring in the second half. Now, the Swedish striker is gradually easing back with light training but won’t be joining the national squad during the break, still working through the final stages of rehab before returning to competitive play.
Slot mentioned the team might consider a closed-door friendly to help Isak regain match fitness, but clarified that he hasn’t rejoined regular team training yet. While Slot welcomes the striker’s return eagerly, he also recognises the likelihood that supporters might have to wait until next season to see Isak performing at his best.
“Alex will be available for PSG, yes,” Slot said on Friday. “But when we talk about being ready, if you’re expecting the player who starred against us a year ago in the Carabao Cup final, who was exceptional on that day, I have doubts after such a long layoff. I do expect to get minutes from him, but it’s hard to say what exactly because he hasn’t trained with the team even once yet.
“He’s not able to train with the team yet. Usually, rehab comes before team training starts, and only after that do you play games. It’s not like you go from one training to playing 45 or 90 minutes straight away.
“If we organise a friendly during the international break, it would probably have to be a very light setup, maybe something like three versus three. We have the under-21s, but Alex isn’t ready to play yet. If he were, he would be with Sweden. The fans will certainly see the best version of him next season. We’re aiming to get close to that this season, but it’s a process.
“I’m as excited as the fans to have him back because, honestly, in about 90 per cent of our matches, we’ve created more chances than the opposition. Having one of the world’s best strikers out there usually means picking up more points. So the excitement about his return, given how good he was at Newcastle, is understandable.
“I don’t want to diminish his impact; he can make a difference this season. But if you ask whether next season is more realistic for him to reach his best than right now, I’d say yes. Also, he probably won’t be available against Man City, but for the next couple of months, we’ll definitely try to use him.”
Slot also touched on the possibility of Isak playing in an under-21 game. “That’s something I can’t answer yet. We think about those options with players returning from injury. If he must get match practice, we would arrange a friendly. But it’s not as simple as 'one game back, and then he’s back to his peak'; it takes time.
“There’s also pre-season coming up, which might be the right moment for him to build up gradually. Players typically have around six to seven weeks to ramp up before the season, and it’s rare to see anyone at their best in the very first pre-season game.”
IBRAHIMA KONATé NEARS OFFICIAL LONG-TERM CONTRACT EXTENSION, SECURING FUTURE AT LIVERPOOL
Ibrahima Konaté confirms he is close to signing a new Liverpool contract, securing his future amid a major squad overhaul.
Ibrahima Konaté is set to sign a new long-term deal with Liverpool, finally putting all the rumours about his future to rest.
His contract was up this summer, and people kept linking him to clubs like Real Madrid. But after Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Everton on Sunday, Konate made it clear he never planned to leave. He’s become a regular since joining from RB Leipzig, and he told reporters negotiations with the club have been going on for a while. Now, the agreement’s almost done.
“We’ve been talking with the club for a long time,” Konate said, according to the Liverpool Echo. “We’re close. Honestly, I think everyone wanted this, and we’re nearly there. There’s a good chance I’ll be here next season; that’s what I always wanted.”
He’s just waiting for the paperwork to go through, but once it’s official, he’s sure sporting director Richard Hughes will be happy to share what Konate told him months ago.
“It’s taken a while, yeah, but that’s how negotiations go,” he added. “Just like with Van Dijk and Mo Salah last season, they signed in April. Maybe this is just how the club handles these things.”
Liverpool is set for a big summer change. Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson are both expected to leave after nearly a decade, and van Dijk is now in the last year of his contract as he approaches 35. Naturally, there's a lot of talk about who steps up as leader in the dressing room next.
The club has already lined up some fresh faces. Jeremy Jacquet, the £60 million centre-back from Rennes, is on his way, and promising defender Giovanni Leoni is working his way back from an ACL injury he picked up last September.
Konate turns 27 next month, and he’s ready to step up and help lead the club into a new era. “I already act as a leader for the younger guys, for my own generation, everyone, really,” he said. “That’s just part of football. The legends move on, and then it’s our turn. I’ve been preparing for this for years, and especially over the last few months.”
“It’s a big responsibility, though. I can’t do it all alone. I’ll need everyone’s help.”
He also mentioned once more that he hopes people go and hear Richard Hughes’s side of the contract talks, saying, “Just wait till it’s all sorted, then ask him what I told him months ago before all the noise started.”
It’s been a tough season for Konate. Liverpool’s form has been erratic; they’ve lost 17 games in all competitions, including 10 in the league. Off the field, things have been even harder; Konate lost his father in January. He admits the last few months have been rough both personally and on the pitch. Still, he’s keeping positive and looking forward to what’s next, for himself and for Liverpool.
MAMARDASHVILI STRETCHERED OFF: LIVERPOOL TURN TO THIRD-CHOICE WOODMAN FOR DERBY GLORY
Liverpool wins 2-1 at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Arne Slot praises debutant Woodman after Mamardashvili injury.
Arne Slot shared that Giorgi Mamardashvili had to be taken to the hospital after suffering an injury, which unexpectedly handed Freddie Woodman his debut in the Merseyside derby for Liverpool.
Mamardashvili left the pitch on a stretcher following extensive treatment for a leg wound caused during Everton’s equaliser by Beto, while Mohamed Salah had opened the scoring earlier at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Stepping in once more for the hampered Alisson Becker, Mamardashvili was replaced by Woodman, who managed to keep a clean sheet as Liverpool clinched a dramatic victory thanks to Virgil van Dijk’s injury-time header in the 248th derby.
With both Alisson's and Mamardashvili’s recoveries uncertain, it looks like Woodman could be gearing up for his first Premier League start at home against Crystal Palace on Saturday, the same team against which he made his Liverpool debut in the League Cup defeat last October.
Slot commented, “Giorgi had to go to the hospital with a big wound, so we’ll have to wait and see how he’s doing.
“But Freddie deserves a lot of credit. Coming in just after conceding the equaliser, when the crowd was already expecting an Everton goal, he really stepped up.
“He stayed composed at a tricky moment, when he hesitated about whether to catch the ball, but kept his nerves steady.
“Freddie’s worked hard for this chance. Usually third-choice goalkeepers don’t get many opportunities, but given how this season has unfolded, anyone playing even in the under-8s at Liverpool should be ready to make their debut; it’s quite something to witness.”
Liverpool had already been without Hugo Ekitike and Joe Gomez, who played against Paris Saint-Germain last Tuesday. Slot named only eight players on the bench for the Everton match, including academy goalkeeper Armin Pecsi.
He added, “Is there anything surprising about the injury situation this season? Maybe not, since I had two goalkeepers on the bench today, which isn't typical. But of course, it’s related to the availability of other positions as well.
“Freddie did a great job.”
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