Sweden manager Graham Potter has confessed Liverpool striker Alexander Isak still remains someway short of fitness following his recent return from injury.
The 2025–26 campaign has been littered with fitness issues for Isak, whose self-imposed exile from Newcastle United left him without a pre-season. Reds manager Arne Slot was forced to ease his £125 million ($164.4 million) signing into action before a groin injury sent Isak back to the sidelines in late October.
Despite his injury, Isak, who was an unused substitute during the 3–0 defeat to Manchester City, was included in Potter’s Sweden squad for the current international window, but the former West Ham United boss warned fans they will only see a limited number of minutes from the 26-year-old.
“He’s had a good week, he’s available [to face Switzerland on Saturday],” he told a press conference. “But we have to be smart with him because he’s been out for a while.
“He’s not ready to play two matches for 90 minutes. We have to wait and see.”
Alexander Isak
Isak is without a goal in his last three Sweden appearances. / Michael Campanella/Getty Images
Isak’s start to life at Liverpool has been a miserable one and time away with the national team has hardly offered much relief. Sweden sit bottom of their World Cup qualification group with just one point from four games.
Sweden need to beat both Switzerland and Slovenia in their next two games to even have a chance of qualifying, but they still need second-placed Kosovo to lose against both teams if they are to advance.
Asked whether Isak had been discussing his slow start at Liverpool—the Premier League champions have also had an indifferent few months, losing five games already—during the break, Potter insisted the striker’s focus is firmly on delivering for his country.
“He’s like anybody in terms of the Swedish national team,” Potter explained. “He’s frustrated with the results we’ve had.
“That’s clear as I’ve said. But all I’ve found here is a group of players that really want to do better, that are frustrated in terms of results-wise where they’re at. They’re just desperate to do well for their country and there’s a real feeling for that.”
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