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A man showing up to work shouldn’t be newsworthy. But in the world of soccer, it often is.
When that man costs £125million ($169M), the most expensive fee for a Premier League player, and has millions of fans salivating at the prospect of his arrival, then it’s certainly of note.
Liverpool supporters weren’t sure when they would first get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Alexander Isak at the club’s AXA Training Centre, but his eagerness to build up fitness meant he arrived on Wednesday before any others on international duty over the last week. Some were still yet to return to the UK when Isak’s car pulled into Kirkby parking lot.
Of course, the joke, one that won’t be lost on Newcastle United fans, is that Isak showing up to work is particularly significant, given he has spent the last few months isolated from his team-mates.
Hence, his early check-in at Kirkby. He needs to immediately make up for a lost summer of pre-season preparation.
The first signs are good. Isak certainly still looks trim and nimble, judging by Wednesday’s footage posted on Liverpool’s club channels.
The cameras caught Isak’s arrival and slightly awkward introduction to his new co-workers at the training ground. The Swede was filmed sitting with Freddie Woodman, who left Newcastle a few weeks before Isak signed in 2022, but no doubt the pair have plenty of mutual connections in the north-east.
Then it was down to business, with the summer signing joined by Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong, and Federico Chiesa in a gym session. Fast-foot drills, resistance bands, and medicine balls were the order of the day for Isak and his colleagues, with a brief introduction to Curtis Jones also spotted.
As the video rolled on, Isak and the few senior members of the Liverpool squad headed outside.
Perhaps a little nervous, Liverpool’s new No. 9 wasn’t seen laughing and joking with his new teammates. No doubt that will change once he’s more settled, as is the case with fellow summer signing Frimpong.
Stefan Bajcetic joined the players outside, along with a plethora of youth-team proteges, including Jayden Danns and Kaide Gordon.
In a pressing and possession drill, it was interesting to note that Isak won possession twice. Was that carefully selected footage by Liverpool’s media team, or a sign of his maintained fitness levels?
An attack vs. defense session followed, and a chance for Isak to show exactly why Liverpool deemed him worthy of that record-breaking figure.
He didn’t disappoint. Twice, Isak converted from Chiesa crosses; one, a near-post flick, and the other a technically precise volley. It was impressive stuff, and even from the brief 10-minute footage, it was clear the former Real Sociedad star possessed a coolness and nonchalant ease in front of goal that was lacking among the other participants.
A casual finish with his left foot underlined that, while he also cut inside and effortlessly passed the ball into the bottom corner on another occasion.
And with that, day one was over. It appeared to be a positive start, but bigger tests await.
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