STOCKHOLM: New Sweden boss Graham Potter called up injured Liverpool forward Alexander Isak on Wednesday for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers this month, but Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres was left out due to injury.
Former West Ham United manager Potter took over as Sweden boss last month, with the 50-year-old tasked with salvaging their flailing 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Sweden are bottom of Group B with one point after four games and although they cannot qualify directly, they have a slim chance of securing a playoff berth if results go their way.
Isak, who made a 125 million pound ($167.76 million) switch to Liverpool in September, has not played since a 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, missing the club’s last four games in all competitions due to a groin injury.
Lucas Bergvall was also a doubt after the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder suffered a concussion, but Potter said both were available.
“As things stand right now, they are available. Lucas has had a concussion, but hopefully he can be there when it’s time for us to play,” Potter said.
“Alex can hopefully play a bit this weekend and will be in Spain on Monday.”
The squad will gather in Marbella, Spain, before traveling to Switzerland for the first game against the group leaders on November 15 before they play Slovenia three days later.
Gyokeres, meanwhile, is not available after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said he had muscular issues which forced the 27-year-old to miss Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Slavia Prague.
SWEDEN SQUAD FOR WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Goalkeepers: Viktor Johansson, Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Noel Törnqvist, Jacob Widell Zetterstrom
Defenders: Gabriel Gudmundsson, Isak Hien, Emil Holm, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Victor Lindelof, Ken Sema, Carl Starfelt, Daniel Svensson
Midfielders and forward: Taha Ali, Yasin Ayari, Roony Bardghji, Lucas Bergvall, Alexander Bernhardsson, Anthony Elanga, Alexander Isak, Jesper Karlstrom, Hugo Larsson, Isac Lidberg, Gustav Lundgren, Benjamin Nygren, Mattias Svanberg, Besfort Zeneli.
