Alexander Isak Faces Scrutiny at Liverpool: Record Signing, Slow Start, and Divided Opinions

Alexander Isak’s Liverpool Arrival: Hype, Hope, and a Rocky Start

When Liverpool fans heard the news in August 2025, it felt like the club was making a statement: Alexander Isak, one of the Premier League’s most coveted strikers, was heading to Anfield for a record-shattering £125 million fee. The move, forced through by Isak himself after a tense standoff with Newcastle United, seemed set to launch a new era for Liverpool’s attack. Yet, as autumn turns to winter, the Swedish forward finds himself at the center of a heated debate—one that cuts to the heart of what it means to thrive under the bright lights of a footballing superpower.

Behind the Numbers: A Striker Out of Sync

Isak’s journey to Merseyside was anything but smooth. After going on strike at Newcastle to force his exit, he spent the summer training alone, detached from team systems and match tempo. By the time he donned the red shirt, he was already playing catch-up. His solitary goal—a poacher’s finish in a Carabao Cup win over Southampton—has done little to silence critics. In the league, he’s struggled to make an impact, most recently turning in an anonymous display against Nottingham Forest that drew both frustration and sympathy.

For supporters, the numbers tell a concerning story: just one goal, no assists, and a growing sense that Liverpool’s record signing is yet to find his rhythm. Isak’s lack of fitness, cited by both pundits and insiders, has complicated his integration. As Mark Lawrenson, former Liverpool defender, bluntly put it on talkSPORT, “He is not fit. If you’re only training, you’re about 25 percent less than players in front of you.”

Pundits Divided: Patience or Change?

The debate around Isak is as much about philosophy as it is about performance. Wayne Rooney, speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport, advocated for patience: “Alexander Isak just needs a run of games. He just needs any type of goal to get him going and I’m sure he’ll find a good run of form after that.” Rooney’s stance is rooted in experience—strikers, he argues, are creatures of confidence, and sometimes all it takes is a single breakthrough to spark a streak.

But not everyone is convinced. Lawrenson and other critics argue that Hugo Ekitike, Liverpool’s other summer arrival, has been the more effective forward and deserves a sustained run in the side. “None of them [summer signings] have really paid off apart from Hugo Ekitike. If I was Ekitike, I’d be fuming if I wasn’t playing,” Rooney admitted, acknowledging the growing pressure on manager Arne Slot to make tough selection calls.

For Ekitike, it’s a double-edged sword: his own form is overshadowed by the price tag and attention heaped on Isak. But as Lawrenson noted, “How do you get players fit if they can’t play in reserve games or anything? All you do is train and it’s not the same.”

Bigger Picture: Liverpool’s Broader Struggles and the Weight of Expectation

Isak’s struggles are not happening in isolation. Liverpool, despite being reigning Premier League champions, have endured a stuttering start to the 2025/26 campaign. Defensive frailties have come to the fore, with club legends like Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah facing the inevitable test of time. Graeme Souness, speaking to The Echo, put it bluntly: “Virgil van Dijk is now 34 and… the decline has started. The biggest mystery to me though would be Isak. When you buy a player, you’re looking to take all the grey areas out of the deal but there are no grey areas with Isak. He’s performed in the Premier League and has shown that he can play at a big club. So you think that when he comes to Liverpool that he would just slot in immediately, but that’s not happened.”

Souness and others have pointed to tactical issues—Isak’s lack of service, his struggle to make incisive runs, and his unfamiliarity with Liverpool’s pressing demands. The Premier League, Souness reminds us, is “several rungs down the ladder” from other competitions in terms of intensity. Adjusting to its pace, especially after a disrupted pre-season, is a tall order for even the most accomplished players.

Meanwhile, other big-money signings like Florian Wirtz have also found the transition tough, raising broader questions about Liverpool’s recruitment and squad balance. As Souness observed, “When you play for Liverpool, every game is a final for the opposition.” The scrutiny is relentless, and patience—among fans, pundits, and club hierarchy—can be in short supply.

What’s Next for Isak and Liverpool?

The path forward is anything but clear. Manager Arne Slot faces a classic footballing dilemma: stick with his marquee signing and hope for a turning point, or pivot to the form player in Ekitike and risk further destabilizing the squad’s confidence. With Champions League qualification and domestic ambitions hanging in the balance, every decision is magnified.

One thing is certain: Isak’s story at Liverpool is far from written. The pressure of the price tag, the burden of expectation, and the relentless pace of the Premier League all conspire to make his adjustment period uniquely challenging. But football is littered with examples of slow starters who eventually become heroes. For now, both Isak and Liverpool must weather the storm—and hope that patience, whether from the bench or the starting XI, will eventually pay dividends.

Assessment: Alexander Isak’s early struggles at Liverpool are a potent reminder that footballing success rarely follows a straight line. Despite his pedigree and the club’s investment, a disrupted summer and the weight of expectation have left him short of his best. The coming months will be crucial—not just for Isak’s individual redemption, but for Liverpool’s broader project under Arne Slot. As pressure mounts, the club’s ability to balance patience with pragmatism could define their season and the legacy of their record signing.