Alexander Isak has all the tools to handle the expectations of playing for Liverpool

Dalglish, Rush, Fowler, Owen, Torres, Suarez and Salah, can Alexander Isak be the next great Liverpool forward?

The saga of the summer transfer window finally came to a conclusion on Deadline Day. The Swedish striker joined the Reds for a British record £125 million, breaking their own record, set earlier in the summer for Florian Wirtz.

Alexander Isak is as big a signing any club could make, a genuine world-class player signed from another Premier League club.

It is a huge power play from LFC but also shows the strength of the project Arne Slot and the whole club have going.

As mentioned prior, it has been the story of the window for Liverpool and there was a reason for it.

The team needed another attacking presence due to unforeseen circumstances and outgoings. It’s not like the club are hoarding players for the sake of it.

The signing is proof of Arne Slot's vision, as he wants this to already be a new beginning under his leadership, an out and out number nine to play week in week out, something he didn’t think he had in his first year.

Hope

This is a signing that brings a huge wave of excitement. Isak is one of the world’s best, if not the best, with 44 goals in his past two seasons he is third to Erling Haaland (49) and Mo Salah (47), having played six fewer games than the Egyptian.

Something that links to his goalscoring, is his clinical technique, while over the past few years LFC fans have had many ups and downs with unreliable attackers, Isak comes in with a record to settle many fears. 

At 26.4%, Isak’s non-penalty shot conversion rate is sky high, 5% higher than that of Haaland’s (21.6%) and Salah’s (21.1%).

This clinical efficiency is the difference between wins and losses, glory and defeat. Such a high figure is impressive for any striker but when you put it into the context of Isak’s playstyle, a player who shoots from all angles and distances, it looks 100x more brilliant.

Another slice of hope this man will bring is the true winner’s mentality he has. In his first interview with LFCTV, Isak talked about the ambition for him at Anfield and that “I wanna win everything.”

It’s as simple as that. A mindset this ambitious and deadest can be so strong and helpful. His teammates will feel a sense of aura and captivation, something that can only help this team become the dynasty Slot so clearly has in mind.

On top of all of this, his role in the attack is also a huge reason for fans to have a hopeful outlook on this signing.

Many have begun to fear that this may block or mislead any progress Hugo Ekitike could make in the near future. I don’t buy into these beliefs,

Hugo will be learning from two of the world’s best in Mo and Isak but will also be playing a huge number of games.

One thing we learnt about Slot is his ability to adapt his tactics in all manner of matches, whether this means two strikers for some games and then one of Hugo or Isak out wide for others, both will be playing enough, these beliefs that it may lead to problems are for Arne Slot, and let’s not lie, this is the best type of problem to have… Too much quality.

Pressure

Transfer sagas always lead to pressure for both the club and player, this will be elevated to larger levels for LFC and Isak, the fact that it was all so public left a sour taste in so many mouths.

Michael Edwards and his team so often work in the shadows and go about their business with maximum efficiency, but this was the complete opposite. This will bring pressure for this transfer to work out, from top all the way to the fans. 

Someone who is quite clearly as confident as Isak is will not be bothered about the outside pressure from media and fans, he will go at his own pace and score goals for fun.

However, the pressure isn’t just on him, at £125 million Slot and his team will also be expected to make this work and help Isak be as successful as he wants and needs to be.

Both of the mentioned ‘pressures’ have not been on Isak, with that being said, his actions in the saga have left a lot of disgruntled fans and pundits alike.

Isak refused to travel on tour with his team and then refused to play for the club, it did feel like a selfish and petulant thing for him to do.

However, it did work, he got his move… it just felt like such a waste of a relationship he built with the Newcastle fans.

The pressure in all of this, is on him to be a lot more professional, if certain things happen at Liverpool. He needs to know that he MUST respect the club he plays for and respect is pillar of the Liverpool Football Club DNA.