Alexander Isak’s turning point at Anfield: the real meaning of <i>You'll Never Walk Alone</i> | OneFootball

In the life of a footballer, whether amateur or elite, it is not always easy to explain why adapting can be so difficult. Sometimes it is down to a lack of confidence, other times to a manager not backing a player, and there is also the narrative often heard these days: that the player simply does not suit the team’s style of play.

Let us look at a very different case: the misfortune of injuries and, above all, the burden of being the most expensive transfer ever in the country where he first kicked a ball. At the start of his second season at Liverpool, with four goals in the first six Premier League matches, Alexander Isak is, so far, the league’s most improved player.

Signed from Newcastle after refusing to take part in the 2025/26 pre-season with the Magpies, the Sweden international completed a permanent move to the Reds on deadline day in England’s top flight for an incredible £125 million.

Isak went through a difficult spell in his first year, with Arne Slot primarily opting for Hugo Ekitiké as the most advanced man, as he had been the first to arrive. The truth is that the French international started brilliantly, scoring three goals in his first three games at Anfield.

However, the 26-year-old centre-forward featured throughout the season, but never with the consistency expected of him, or that he had shown at Newcastle. An ankle fracture ruled the Sweden forward out between late December and early April 2026.

By coincidence, or perhaps not, the return of the Solna-born striker ended up coinciding with the start of Ekitiké’s injury, after an Achilles tendon rupture, one of the most serious injuries a footballer can suffer. From that point on, Isak became the starter, but remained well below expectations. What's more, the player was unable to help Sweden qualify for the World Cup, which only made matters worse.

In fine form and with four goals already scored at the start of the current campaign, Isak has matched last season’s tally. Under Andoni Iraola at the helm of a Liverpool side unbeaten in the Premier League so far, the striker has scored in three of the Reds’ five matches: a brace against Ipswich Town, and one goal each against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.

The day before the match away to Bournemouth (0-1) last weekend, Isak told BBC Sport that the less positive period was already behind him: "The leg fracture was something difficult, and anyone who has suffered a long-term injury knows how much it can affect you. However, when you are in a good place and feeling good, you do not look back, because that will not help you in any way. I am focused on the future and I feel optimistic and confident about this season."

Alexander Isak’s case is one of many in the world of the beautiful game. Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to relaunch their career after darker periods. But as he notes