Slot: Isak Starts Light Running, Back in Training by April

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot provided an encouraging update on striker Alexander Isak's recovery from a serious leg injury, stating the forward has begun light running on the pitch and could rejoin team training by late March or early April.

Isak, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle United last summer in a British record transfer worth around 125 million pounds, has been sidelined since December when he suffered a fractured fibula and ankle damage while scoring in a match against Tottenham Hotspur. The 26-year-old Swede underwent surgery following the incident, which occurred just before Christmas, and has since focused on rehabilitation. Prior to the leg injury, Isak dealt with a groin problem in October that caused him to miss four matches, compounding a challenging debut season after he arrived without the benefit of a full preseason.

In his prematch news conference ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash at Nottingham Forest, Slot revealed that Isak stepped onto the grass for the first time this week, wearing running shoes rather than football boots. "Alex has been on the pitch with his running shoes for the first time this week, so it will still be a while," Slot said. He...