Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has admitted that the club could be forced to sell one of their key players in January, with Alexander Isak a long-term target for Arsenal.
The Gunners could be on the lookout for a new striker when the transfer window opens in just a matter of weeks. Isak is a name who has been linked for the past few years, even dating back to his days at Real Sociedad.
Since moving to the Premier League with Newcastle in 2022, Isak has continued to impress. In his 81 outings in all competitions for the club, he has scored 41 times - including netting the opener in the 3-3 draw with Liverpool on Wednesday night.
Despite the wealth of their Saudi ownership, Newcastle are restricted in what they can spend by Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs). That means they may be forced to sell players to be able to stay in-line with those restrictions.
That has led to Howe hinting that a big sale in January could be a possibility. Although the manager hopes that's not the case.
"The days when teams don't sell big players are gone," he said during his pre-match press conference, ahead of Newcastle's Premier League game against Brentford. "I think our revenue streams aren't where we want them to be. We're still trying to grow them, so I think trading in and out is going to be essential.
"Hopefully it's not going to be players that we're forced to sell, but you can't guarantee anything. The issue with PSR and our position is that nothing is clear-cut. Nothing is absolutely fixed - there will be lots of twists and turns during January. But we want to try and improve the squad."
Arsenal were linked with an interest in Isak over the summer, but Newcastle were able to raise enough money through selling other players - such as Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to Nottingham Forest and Brighton.
The Gunners currently have Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus as their striking options, following the summer sale of Eddie Nketiah, who joined Crystal Palace. Mikel Arteta may be keen to add to his striking department as the club look to close the gap on leaders Liverpool over the second half of the campaign.