Liverpool striker Alexander Isak will be out of action indefinitely following surgery on Monday for a broken ankle and fibula.
The British-record transfer, costing $170 million, sustained the injury during a tackle by Micky van de Ven while scoring the first goal in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham in the Premier League and was forced to leave the field.
Isak’s injury poses a significant setback for Liverpool’s season and could also hinder Sweden’s chances in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Sweden is set to face Ukraine in the European playoffs in March.
In a statement, Liverpool noted, “Following examination, surgery was performed today on Isak’s ankle injury, which included a fibula fracture. His recovery will now continue at the AXA Training Centre, and there is currently no set timeline for his return.”
This injury is another setback in what has been a challenging season for the 26-year-old forward.
His difficult transition from Newcastle in the summer resulted in missing a full preseason before joining Liverpool in September.
He was slowly integrated back into Arne Slot’s squad as he regained fitness, yet a groin injury kept him sidelined for an additional month. To date, he has made only 10 starts for the reigning Premier League champions, finding the back of the net three times.
With Mohamed Salah currently participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, Slot will rely on Hugo Ekitike to step up in the scoring department. Ekitike, who joined this season, has been impressive, netting 11 goals for Liverpool, including one in the match against Tottenham. He has scored five times in his last three league outings and is poised to solidify his place in Liverpool’s attack.
Liverpool is currently enjoying a six-match unbeaten streak following a rough patch that saw the team falter between September and November.
After an unsettling period that included six losses in seven league matches, they have rebounded with consecutive victories over Brighton and Tottenham, climbing to fifth place in the standings, tied on points with Chelsea in fourth.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.