Star striker Alexander Isak has been left out of Liverpool's squad for their league game against Burnley.
Many headlines in the latest summer transfer window were dominated by Isak, who saw his relationship with previous club Newcastle United deteriorate massively after making clear his wishes to leave. The Magpies, in turn, struggled to recruit a replacement for much of the window, meaning Isak was unable to depart as he wanted.
In the window's latter stages, Newcastle agreed deals to sign forwards Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa from Stuttgart and Brentford respectively. In doing so, Eddie Howe's side had secured the attacking depth they desired and soon after, having knocked back an earlier bid, Newcastle accepted a British record £125 million transfer fee from Liverpool for Isak.
Isak was the last in a line of exciting signings for Liverpool across the summer, who are looking to defend their Premier League title under Arne Slot's guidance. Alongside the Swedish international, the Reds recruited Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Geovanni Leoni, with goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili also linking up with the squad after spending last season on loan at Valencia.
Despite excitement and anticipation, Isak was left out of Liverpool's squad entirely for their clash with Burnley, their first match after the September international break.
Why Was Isak Left Out?
alexander isak
As per the Liverpool Echo, Isak was omitted from the team due to a lack of match fitness, an entirely understandable justification. In wanting to leave Newcastle, the forward missed out on taking part in pre-season, which would have been his chance to prepare for the campaign. In the latest international break, Isak made his first appearance of the season, coming off the bench for Sweden in their 2-0 loss to Kosovo.
Thankfully for Liverpool, the club are in a position that means Isak does not have to be rushed into the side. The aforementioned Hugo Ekitike has enjoyed a bright start to life at Anfield whilst Cody Gakpo, as has been the case for some time now, remains a reliable option in attack for Liverpool, meaning Isak can be afforded the time to retain full fitness.
Though Liverpool fans may be disappointed to not see their new striker in action straight away, it will no doubt benefit them greatly in the long run.