Alexander Isak finally appears to be fully settled at Liverpool despite his nightmare season so far.
The Swede has struggled to get going since a record-breaking move from Newcastle at the start of September, being reduced to only 10 starts with the Reds.
While his leg break in December was clearly the biggest stumbling block in that respect, it perhaps has not helped that Isak is a naturally reserved character who likes to keep himself to himself.
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But, according to a new report from The Times, Liverpool staff have noticed that the No. 9 has finally started to ‘come out of his shell’ during his injury rehabilitation.
Isak finally being himself at Liverpool
It was understandable that Isak might feel the weight of something especially heavy after joining Liverpool for £125m.
The Sweden international’s move to Anfield was the summer’s hottest transfer saga, and having been subjected to character assassinations from the North East for months, he perhaps could not shake off the sadness that that must have brought.
This translated to his early days at Liverpool, where Isak felt like something of an outsider. With the Reds struggling so badly on the pitch, he could not escape the spotlight. In that sense, missing so long may have actually helped him, and according to The Times, staff at Liverpool are now seeing the real Isak.
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They claim that there is a ‘sense within the club’ that the former Newcastle man is finally starting to open up to his new surroundings.
Even more encouragingly, it is confirmed that Isak is ‘nearing the end’ of his rehabilitation and is expected to be back fit after the March international break.
Arne Slot warns against Isak pressure
There is no question that Liverpool’s big-money gamble with Isak is yet to pay off, but there is still reason to believe that the big Swede can be a success at Anfield.
Nevertheless, as Arne Slot said on Friday, fans, media and perhaps even teammates alike should be wary of putting too much pressure on Isak to perform immediately when he returns.
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“Let’s say [Isak comes back] at the beginning of April, he has been out for 3½ months and not trained with the team for 3½ months,” he said.
“The last time he did that, it took him a while to get up to speed. I am really, really looking forward to having him back but don’t get the expectations again so high that the minute he is on the pitch, he is at the level of what we spent that money on.”
Although that will sound like a frustratingly similar story for Liverpool fans, there appears to be a feeling internally that this time could be different. A fit and settled Isak will make a difference to the Reds, even at 50 per cent. It will be fantastic to have him finally feeling like a proper Liverpool player.
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