Alexander Isak
According to The Athletic, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has his sights on signing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak.
The Gunners presently have Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus as the centre-forward options, but the latter has been hugely disappointing. Havertz has netted 8 goals in the campaign, but Jesus has just 1 goal which came in the Carabao Cup.
The club obviously need an upgrade in the department and The Athletic claim that Arteta would like to bring Isak to the Gunners. He is athletic, versatile and Premier League-ready and has been identified as the perfect acquisition for the London giants.
However, a deal is far from straightforward for the Gunners. Newcastle are determined to keep hold of their star asset and a deal may not prove feasible as a result. Isak has 3 more years left on his Magpies contract after the ongoing campaign.
Not easy
Isak has established himself as one of the best centre-forwards in the Premier League. The Swedish star started off slowly in his Magpies career, but he was brilliant in his 2nd campaign with 25 goals from 40 games under manager Eddie Howe.
He had an indifferent start to the current season due to a broken toe, but since his return last month, he has been in brilliant form with 4 goals to his name. Isak has all the attributes which Arteta prefers and he could become the Gunners’ main striker.
The former Real Sociedad star has the ability to drop into deeper attacking positions to link-up play. He has also excelled with his speed and dribbling skills. The 25-year-old can also be a menace in and around the opposition box with his aerial ability.
Despite the positives, Arsenal have a huge challenge on their hands to convince the Magpies to part ways with Isak, who has been described as ‘world-class‘ by Howe.
There has been talk that he could be signed for a package of more than £100 million, but Newcastle have a big advantage due to the length of his deal. They could easily demand a much higher package to sanction the striker’s departure next summer.