Alexander Isak glad to be playing again after transfer saga

PRISTINA – Alexander Isak is glad to be on the pitch again after sealing his record-breaking move to Liverpool, as the striker played his first minutes of the season in Sweden’s 2-0 defeat by Kosovo in a World Cup qualifier on Sept 8.

The 25-year-old completed a £125 million (S$217.4 million) switch from Newcastle United to Liverpool on transfer deadline day, bringing an end to a transfer saga that had dragged on throughout the close season.

“It’s great that everything was settled before the camp and that I could focus on playing football again,” Isak told Swedish media after the defeat in Pristina, where he came on as a second-half substitute.

“It’s been a fairly new situation for me, but you always learn and develop mentally off the pitch as well.”

Isak had made it clear he wanted to leave Newcastle at the start of the window and played no part in the team’s pre-season or opening league games, accusing the club of breaking promises and misleading supporters.

“Obviously, not everyone has the full picture, but that’s something for another day,” he added.

“I can’t control everything that’s said or written. But I’m happy that I became a Liverpool player.”

Meanwhile, the Swedes’ hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were dented after their loss to Kosovo, who had Lindon Emerllahu sent off in second-half stoppage time for a second yellow card.

Sweden went behind in the 26th minute after goalkeeper Robin Olsen blocked Elvis Rexhbecaj’s shot – only for the rebound to fly off the midfielder’s shin into the net.

Vedat Muriqi made it 2-0 for Kosovo three minutes before the break.

Although Sweden brought on Isak, they could not find a way back into the game.

The victory moved Kosovo up to second place in Group B on three points, three behind Switzerland, who thumped Slovenia 3-0 to make it two wins out of two.

The Swedes are third on one point, ahead of Slovenia on goal difference.

The top team in each group qualifies directly for the 2026 Finals with the runners-up going into the play-offs.

“Neither the attack nor the defence was good enough. But if you look at the last 12 games since September 2024, we have won eight and lost two,” insisted Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson after the loss.

“There are no other options but to continue to focus on offensive football.

“We see what players we have, what kind of football they play in their clubs. This is the kind of football they play, the kind of football they want to play.”

Off the pitch, Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike has welcomed the arrival of Isak and says he is excited about the challenge of competing for a place in the line-up with the Swedish forward.

Frenchman Ekitike is Liverpool’s third-most expensive signing this summer following the acquisition of Isak from Newcastle, and midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a guaranteed £100 million before add-ons.

Ekitike has already bagged three goals in four appearances for the reigning English Premier League champions.

“When you play for the best teams, you inevitably expect to be competing with the best players,” Ekitike told reporters on Sept 7.

“Isak is a player I used to watch, so seeing him arrive is a pleasure.

“It’s going to be tough competition, but I’m going to work hard to be good and perform well, so that it’s just the coach’s problem.”

Ekitike joined Liverpool after a standout 2024-25 campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he netted 15 Bundesliga goals in 33 appearances. REUTERS, AFP