Liverpool legend Michael Owen believes the Reds’ 2025 summer signing Alexander Isak will be back to his best this season.
Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen believes Alexander Isak can enjoy a major season with Liverpool and return to the level that convinced the Reds to pay a British-record fee for him.
Speaking exclusively to TEAMtalk, Owen backed Isak to rediscover his best form after a difficult debut campaign at Anfield, a notable change in tone from Owen’s recent suggestion that the striker was “running out of excuses.”
“He’s started well this season,” Owen told TEAMtalk before adding, “Isak has scored a few goals now and looks sharp; I think he will continue to have a very good season and score plenty of goals.”
Owen also pointed to the physical challenges Isak has faced since moving to Liverpool. Injuries as a striker, especially the way Isak plays, take time to overcome; he needed more time to recover fully and regain his sharpness.
“Injuries as a striker, especially the way Isak plays (as I know) it takes time to get back to your top level again…Isak also had the World Cup, but has looked good so far this season; I like him a lot, and he absolutely can be a very big player for the club this season.”
Despite being busy with the World Cup after his debut campaign, Alexander Isak has looked sharp at the start of the new season. Owen likes him a lot and believes he absolutely can be a very big player for the club this season.
The Swede’s first season on Merseyside was badly affected by the circumstances surrounding his transfer. The lengthy negotiations with Newcastle meant he arrived without a full and carefully planned pre-season, while he was also not fully fit when he finally joined Arne Slot’s team.
Things became even more difficult when the Sweden international suffered a broken fibula in December. The injury kept him out for 106 days and limited him to just 22 appearances in his debut campaign. Isak scored only four goals and bagged an assist in just over 1,000 minutes, leaving him with plenty to prove heading into the new season.
It has started to click for Isak at Anfield
There have already been encouraging signs under manager Andoni Iraola. Isak has featured in five matches during the 2026/27 campaign, scoring three goals and providing one assist. He scored three goals across two consecutive games after Owen’s previous criticism, although he did not score against Atletico Madrid and Fulham.
Despite those recent blanks, Owen remains confident that Isak can become a key figure for Liverpool this season. The Swedish striker’s combination of movement, technical ability and finishing made him one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards before his move to Anfield.
If he can stay fit and build consistency under Iraola, Liverpool could finally see the player they paid £125 million for. For Isak, the 2026/27 campaign represents an opportunity to put his troubled first season behind him and begin delivering on the enormous expectations that came with his record transfer.