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Alexander Isak Backed to Thrive in Andoni Iraola’s New Liverpool System Liverpool enter the 2026/27 season in a very different place to the one they occupied 12 months ago. After storming to the Premier League title in 2024/25 by a 10-point margin, the following campaign brought a sharp regression, managerial change and the start of another reset at Anfield. Arne Slot’s departure was followed by the appointment of Andoni Iraola, while Mohamed Salah’s exit has further underlined the scale of the transition. The summer transfer window has, so far, been relatively restrained by Liverpool standards, but there has still been movement in key areas of the squad. Jeremy Jacquet, Víctor Munoz and Ronald Araujo have all arrived as Iraola begins shaping the group he has inherited. Champions League qualification ensured Liverpool retained a level of attraction and relevance despite last season’s struggles. Internally, the focus is now on whether the existing core can respond under a head coach whose game model is expected to demand intensity, speed and aggression. Andoni Iraola sets Liverpool a clear task Iraola’s immediate challenge is obvious. Liverpool need a significant uplift after a disappointing 2025/26 season, and that applies both collectively and individually. Jacquet is regarded as a defender with strong upside and will hope to compete quickly for a central role alongside Virgil van Dijk. Munoz offers pace and unpredictability in attacking areas, while Araujo brings senior quality and versatility across the back line. Even so, Liverpool’s prospects may hinge less on incomings and more on how effectively Iraola can elevate those already at the club. Among that group, few players carry more intrigue than Alexander Isak. Liverpool committed £125m to sign the Sweden international and, after a disrupted first year, there is an expectation that his second season could look very different. Alexander Isak expected to benefit from fresh start Isak’s debut campaign at Anfield never fully settled. Injury issues and an interrupted pre-season left him chasing rhythm, and when his performances began to improve, a leg break halted that progress. Those around the club will hope a full summer of preparation changes the picture. Speaking recently, Robbie Fowler said: “I think the way Andoni wants to play, he wants his team to be massively on the front foot, get that ball forward as quickly as we possibly can, and someone like Isak could thrive on the way he wants his team to play.” That view reflects a wider feeling around Liverpool. Iraola’s style should create more direct situations for a striker who thrives in space, attacks channels naturally and has the technical level to finish quickly. If Liverpool can restore their intensity higher up the pitch, Isak stands to be one of the major beneficiaries. Pre-season may define Liverpool striker’s next step Fowler’s assessment went further. He said: “Yeah, massively excited. Look, I genuinely think he’s a wonderful player. I think when we saw him at Newcastle, I think any club, not just in the Premier League, but I think any club in the world would have taken him. “He’s a very, very good player, great goalscorer and, look, for whatever reason, it never materialised last year. I think that was maybe down to the conditioning of how he missed a lot of the pre-season. “It took a while, then we saw him starting to hit a little bit of form, and then unfortunately he gets that leg break. I’m glad he’s getting a pre-season behind him now because I think his fitness is good. He’s come out and said that himself; I think that’s documented. But as a forward, I think you need to be conditioned and getting the right sort of condition to play football. “I think getting that alertness and that liveliness into his game is massively important, so pre-season is massively important for him. He can be a difference.” That final line may be the key point for Liverpool. In a summer where recruitment has been measured, genuine improvement from within could be decisive. If Iraola can unlock the best version of Alexander Isak, Liverpool’s rebuild may gather pace far quicker than many expect. Further background on Liverpool’s summer changes has been widely reported here, but the real story will unfold on the pitch over the months ahead.