Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has heaped praise on Liverpool boss Arne Slot for the way he has managed Alexander Isak’s return to full fitness while appearing to take a swipe at Newcastle United’s handling of players.
Isak, who joined Liverpool in a British-record £125 million deal from Newcastle on deadline day, is gradually building up his minutes following a disrupted pre-season that saw him train alone and go nearly four months without a competitive appearance.
Since his switch to Anfield, the 25-year-old has featured six times for the Reds four of them starts registering one goal and one assist in 312 minutes. His integration has been cautious but deliberate, with Slot opting to build his rhythm slowly after such a long layoff.
Tomasson, who named Isak in Sweden’s squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Kosovo, admitted he is unsure whether the striker is yet ready to complete a full 90 minutes but insists the progress is clear.
“I don’t know, to be honest, as he hasn’t played 90 minutes yet,” Tomasson said. “But one thing I know is that he looks better than a month ago, which is normal. He also made an excellent assist at the weekend. Alexander Isak is in a better place.”
The Sweden boss was quick to highlight Liverpool’s cautious approach, describing it as the right way to rebuild a player who missed an entire pre-season.
“I think Alexander is a good example in terms of how Liverpool have handled him in a great way,” Tomasson added. “Normally you need a six-week pre-season and then another three weeks to really be at your best.
I don’t know if it’s a long way until he’s there, but we’re getting closer. First you play 45 minutes, then 60 minutes, 75 minutes and 90 minutes. He has his own pre-season and plays competitive games. It’s a tough way to get fit, but they’ve handled it well.”
Tomasson was also asked whether Isak could feature heavily during the international break, but he remained cautious, stressing that decisions would be data-driven and made in coordination with Liverpool.
“Whether it will be 90 minutes also depends on the games, so I can’t give a good answer about that,” he said. “We need to look at the players individually and we get data from the clubs regarding what the players can do physically and whether they can play 90 minutes or not twice.”
However, the Sweden boss didn’t hold back when drawing a comparison with another Premier League signing and in doing so, appeared to send a pointed message in the direction of Isak’s former club.
Referencing Yoane Wissa, Newcastle’s £55 million deadline-day signing from Brentford, Tomasson highlighted the dangers of rushing players into action without adequate conditioning.
“You can see that with Newcastle and Yoane Wissa, who came in instead of Isak,” he said. “He played international matches with Congo straight away and is now injured. He is still injured. That’s also a reason why we couldn’t play him (Isak) so much last month. We need a good Isak this month and next month. That’s how we plan, while Liverpool have done really well.”
Wissa, who hadn’t played in nearly four months before joining the Magpies, went on to represent DR Congo in both of their September World Cup qualifiers. It was during the second match, against Senegal, that he suffered a knee injury which has delayed his Newcastle debut. He’s not expected to return for a while.
The contrast between how the two clubs have managed their star forwards could not be clearer and he believes Liverpool’s restraint will pay off.
“When you come to a new club it is normal that it can take time to interact with new teammates,” he explained. “He is doing his pre-season with competitive matches and I think he and Liverpool have handled it very well. If you look at the way he plays, the way he moves is top class I still think he is very good.”
Sweden, meanwhile, are facing a decisive international window. Poor results last month have left their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup hanging by a thread. They need positive results against both Switzerland and Kosovo to keep their play-off ambitions alive and a fully fit Isak could make all the difference.
“We need a good Isak this month and next month,” Tomasson concluded. “He’s getting closer and Liverpool have given him the best possible platform to do that.”
Tomasson’s comments underline the growing respect for Arne Slot’s methods at Liverpool. His careful, methodical approach to player management
For Liverpool, the long-term view remains key. Slot’s decision to prioritise fitness and integration over instant results speaks to a manager who values sustainability as much as success.
For Sweden, that patience may soon pay off with Tomasson confident that a fully fit, fully firing Isak could yet be the difference in their fight to reach the World Cup.
