Liverpool get a huge injection of optimism ahead of a make-or-break finale, after Reds manager Arne Slot confirmed that Alexander Isak is set to join in with full team training on Thursday – and its a major milestone in the Swede’s long journey to recovery from an awful ankle injury.
The 26 year old has been a noticeable absentee since December, laid up by a bad break of the fibula that needed surgery & a long stint in the physio room. And to make matters worse, it wasnt like he picked up the injury in some weird freak accident – no this was on the pitch, while he was in the act of scoring, no less. He’d popped in a goal in a fairly convincing win over Tottenham Hotspur before twisting his ankle in the celebration – an unfortunate twist of fate that took one of the Reds most thrilling attacking threats right out of the picture at a really bad time
Now, after months of intense hard work behind the scenes, the wait for Isak to return to the pitch is almost over. And it comes at a great time – Slot let slip the news on Wednesday at the AXA Training Centre – that Thursday’s session will mark Isak’s first time back in a group setting since that operation. And to add to the excitement, Isak must be walking on air after Sweden secured a World Cup spot the night before, so that’s a double reason to be cheerful heading into what promises to be a big day in his recovery.
Slot knows not to get his hopes up , & made it clear that one session doesn’t automatically mean Isak’s ready to go straight back into action. After three or four months off the pitch, there’ll naturally be a bit of a readjustment period as he works back up to full speed. He was cautious in his comments, & said the striker might not be thrown straight into the fire the moment he’s declared fit.
But Slot made one thing very clear – Isak’s return is a huge deal. He said the man is an incredible striker – the exact kind of player the Reds knew they were getting when they signed him. And he pointed out that Liverpool continue to create loads of chances – the perfect environment for Isak to slot back in seamlessly. With the Reds still in it across multiple competitions – and that’s the FA Cup, the Champions League & of course the league – having a player of Isak’s calibre coming back into the fold is an enormous lift for everyone connected with the club.
Reds fans will be hoping Isak can shake off the cobwebs & make a real difference in the weeks ahead – with an intense run in looming, the final stretch of the season is going to be an absolute nail biter – high stakes fixtures are coming up thick & fast & having a fully fit, firing Alexander Isak back in the squad could just make all the difference as the Reds go for what could be a historic finish to the 2025-26 campaign.
