Iraola: I hope Isak can play against Leeds United and complete the preseason preparations well.

Isak's first season at Liverpool under Sloth was not successful, but this season he has the opportunity to start over under Andoni Iraola.

If Liverpool usher in a new era under Andoni Iraola, perhaps no one will be as eager to embrace it as Alexander Isak. On Sunday, Beijing time, the most expensive English footballer appeared in Chicago wearing a Liverpool shirt for the first time since May. The £125 million striker may also feel the need to prove once again why he attracts so much attention.

Around this time last year, Isak was training alone with his former club, Real Sociedad, because he refused to travel with Newcastle United to the Far East for their pre-season tour. This unauthorized detour infuriated Newcastle's management.

At the time, it was reported to be a minor muscle injury, but Isak was actually pressing the "nuclear button," attempting to leave St. James' Park. He felt the club had broken its promises, especially since former minority owner Amanda Staveley had promised him a new contract before leaving, a promise subsequently thwarted by new sporting director Paul Mitchell.

A year later, many criticized his eventual transfer to Merseyside for being too long and drawn-out. However, Newcastle and its owners, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, were extremely adamant in their determination to keep their star player, and the transfer would have been almost impossible without Isak's strong pressure.

However, these moves also had a ripple effect. Because there was no preseason preparation, Isak joined the Premier League after the season had already started, and his form was far from up to par.

After completing his dream transfer on September 1st, he was immediately called up to the national team for Sweden. With international breaks in October and November, Liverpool, despite designing a fitness program specifically for him, struggled to get the striker into rhythm quickly.

He scored his first Premier League goal against West Ham United in late November, but after scoring in a 2-1 victory over Tottenham on December 20, he didn't score again for more than four months. After that goal, a tackle by Van der Fen sent Isak limping off the field, and he later fractured his leg.

Isak quickly underwent surgery to repair his ankle injury and fibula fracture, sidelining him until April. That period also coincided with many players around the world beginning to focus their attention on the World Cup.

Given his long history of injuries and fitness issues, it's not surprising that the £125 million striker is worried about missing the World Cup with Sweden. Isak performed well at the World Cup, scoring one goal and providing three assists, and now he's back at his club, ready to make another impact.

"Isaac is very exciting," Iraola said at a press conference in Chicago on Thursday. "He came in good form for preseason, played well in the World Cup, and feels very comfortable."

"His first training session here is still a long way off, but I hope he can play in the game against Leeds United and finish the preseason well. It's not a long time, only three or four weeks of high-quality training, but I hope he can stay in good shape because he will be very important to us."

Iraola is right to say Isak will play a crucial role in this new phase for Liverpool. With Mohamed Salah – who was the team's top scorer in eight of his nine seasons – no longer at Merseyside, the goal-scoring burden will fall on the Swedish striker's shoulders. Isak scored 44 goals in his last two full Premier League seasons with Newcastle.

It could even be said that the success or failure of the Iraola era largely depended on whether Isak could rediscover the level he reached at Tyneside, when he was one of England's most feared and talented strikers.

But under the dual pressures of transfer fees and injury history, can he rediscover that magic? For Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler, the answer is simple.

"If it were me, I wouldn't care about transfer fees," Fowler said during the preseason tour in the United States. "Players just need to focus on playing well, and let others talk about the money."

"The transfer fee is just a number that the club puts on the player. It won't affect me. As for whether this is my mentality, I don't know... Some players don't have this mentality."

“Alexander is a world-class player, and the transfer fee won’t affect him. He has everything, he’s very entertaining to watch when he dribbles forward, and he can change the game. He can excite the fans, which is crucial for a club like Liverpool.”