Liverpool supporters are excited for what is to come after watching Alexander Isak make his debut for the club on Wednesday.
Having effectively gone on strike from Newcastle United over the summer, Isak made his first appearance since the final day of the 2024/25 season.
The Swede looked surprisingly sharp, and underlined just what a brilliant addition he will be to the Liverpool squad.
But while Liverpool fans have been looking ahead with excitement, Newcastle supporters are feeling a very different way towards Isak.
Rewind to June and the 25-year-old was a hero on Tyneside, but after the manner in which he forced through a move to Anfield, Isak has become a pariah at St James’ Park.
According to Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, however, Newcastle should still be happy with how things ended with their former striker.
Newcastle told to be happy over Alexander Isak fee
For a long while this summer, it had looked as though Isak’s move to Liverpool was simply not going to happen.
The story played out as publicly as any transfer ever has, with all corners of the football world weighing in to give their opinion, many negatively assessing Isak’s actions.
And according to Mac Allister, the Liverpool squad were also paying attention to the saga, but eventually got bored as they waited for their new teammate to arrive.
“At the beginning it was a big thing maybe, but after we became a bit tired of it because it was too long!” smiled the Argentine during an interview with TNT Sports.
“But we all know the player he is,” Mac Allister added. “I think he’s going to be really, really important and we are so happy to have him here. Maybe the other club [Newcastle] are not happy, but that’s the way football works.
“In the end they [Liverpool] paid quite a lot of money so I think it’s good for both clubs. It’s good for him because it’s what he wanted and we are so happy to have him because we know the player he is and we suffered him a couple of times as well!”
Will Isak be fit to face Everton?
As Mac Allister’s interview with TNT was being released, Arne Slot was giving an update into whether Isak is likely to feature against Everton in Saturday’s Merseyside Derby.
According to Slot, the Sweden international is still recovering from Wednesday’s intense game, but there is no suggestion that he has picked up an injury.
Slot’s update on Isak was a positive one, with the No. 9 seemingly available for Saturday’s derby.
However, given the intensity of playing 60 minutes in a Champions League game having not featured for five months, it seems unlikely that Isak will start against the Blues.
With the dust still settling on their tumultuous summer, Newcastle fans are unlikely to come along to Mac Allister’s thinking any time soon. But that won’t stop Liverpool supporters – and players – from being delighted with their new star striker.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
