Newcastle United have made it clear that Alexander Isak is not for sale and it is rather telling that Arsenal have instead made a move for Sporting Libson star Viktor Gyokeres
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta
Arsenal are in talks to sign Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres after the Gunners decided against testing Newcastle United's resolve for Alexander Isak.
A host of former Arsenal players, including Paul Merson and Theo Walcott, have repeatedly talked up the prospect of the Londoners signing Isak while boss Mikel Arteta called the 25-year-old a 'top player'.
Arsenal fans gathered outside the Emirates even applauded Isak off the Newcastle team bus a few months ago before one supporter muttered 'welcome home' as the 25-year-old walked through the players' entrance ahead of the Magpies' Carabao Cup semi-final clash.
However, Isak still has three years left on his contract, which puts Newcastle in a strong position, and CEO Darren Eales previously said that it would be 'crazy' for the Magpies to consider selling such a key player.
Eales made it clear that Newcastle were 'not under the gun' to do so and rather than losing Isak this summer - to Arsenal, Liverpool or anyone else for that matter - the black-and-whites intend to hold talks with the Sweden star and his camp about fresh terms.
Arsenal have long admired Isak but it is rather telling that the Gunners have ended up looking elsewhere after Newcastle held firm. Artera's side are now pushing to sign Gyokeres, who has scored a frankly ridiculous 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting.
On one hand, that represents a positive for Newcastle but, on the other, it is another reminder of the work the Magpies have to do to keep apace with those sides at the top as yet another rival looks to make a statement in the transfer market.
Newcastle are continuing to work on deals for Nottingham Forest star Anthony Elanga and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, and the black-and-whites remain in a strong financial position to make their first major signing in nearly two years.
However, Newcastle will still have to be smart to strengthen several areas this summer as football finance expert Kieran Maguire explained.
"They have certainly got far more capacity than the last two summers," he told ChronicleLive last month. "It's then a case of not falling into a trap of spending for spending's sake and I don't think that is the culture at Newcastle.
"I think they're using the Saudi tax argument as a means of just trying to dampen down the expectations among people saying, 'You are the richest people in the world. Why have you not spent a lot more money?' It's more of an expectations management issue than anything else."
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