THE SWEDISH ONE...
Listen, we shouldn’t speak on it… it’s cruel—like eating McDonald’s next to Big Dave at work when he’s on a juice cleanse. But it’s getting harder and harder to walk away from it.
ALEX ISAK TO ARSENAL.
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Mikel Arteta’s number one target is Isak—a player we passed on a few years ago after he had a very average season following his breakout year. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say he’s the best striker in the world right now. He takes half-chances like open goals, glides across the pitch, looks totally in control of his game, and struggles against no defender. He’s the only striker I’ve seen get the better of Big Bill and Gabs over the past two years.
The rumor is that his preference is Arsenal—he liked the club as a kid, wears the number 14, and probably understands how good we are and how close we are to being the best team in the world. He is the missing ingredient and has been for three seasons. If Newcastle don’t make the Champions League this summer, he’ll be off. He’s been pretty clear about his intentions to compete for the biggest trophies.
My supposition? Even if Newcastle do qualify for the Champions League, he might agitate for a move. After all, what he’s really saying is that he wants achance to win those trophies—not just compete. You’re not getting to the promised land with Dan Burn in your back four. It also hasn’t gone unnoticed that Newcastle are in a bit of financial strife. There are rumors that Saudi has bigger priorities, we know they’re up against it with PSR, and they’ve just committed to building a mega new stadium to catch up on revenue.
The question is this:How ready are Arsenal to spend the best part of £120m to reach the summit of world football? How willing are they to put a 25-year-old on £380k a week to bring home that Premier League title?
The only risk with a move like this for Arsenal is twofold:
This is not a resale-value player like Sesko would be.
His injury record isn’t great, as we saw last season when he was playing three games a week for a Newcastle side that tanked.
But if Arteta can manage his fitness, that £120m would be anNFL-style final piece of the jigsaw move.
Well… kind of.
We still need to replace Neto, signtwo number sixes, and rebuild the left side of our attack.
Can we do all of thatand break our transfer record for a striker? Maybe. But we might need to sell a gem elsewhere. And I’m talking aboutsomeone more painful to lose than Martinelli. Yeah, I’m suggesting aBig Gabi-level name.
Would you break upthe best defense in the world to signthe best attacker? I’m not so sure.
But looking at his 21 Premier League goals in 30 appearances last season… then his 23 goals in 33 appearances this season… I’m persuaded it could bethe move.
I don’t think we’d go wrong with Sesko over a three-year period, but we’d have to rotate him heavily with Kai next season while we get him up to speed. If we couldfast-track that,live in the now, andwin a big trophy for £50m more… would it be worth it?
Maybe…
Big players will be tied closer to a club withbig trophies.
Winners get biggersponsorship deals.
Winners commandhigher ticket prices (sry guyz and galz).
Billionaire owners win at most things in life. At some point, should younot just drop a few pennies on something frivolous… like anAlexander Isak?
I’m gassing myself up here like a teenager refreshing NewsNow in the early 2000s.
The story is justtoo hot right now to ignore. Too manyproper people are talking about it. If it’s a choice between Arsenal or Liverpool, then ithas to be Arsenal he moves to!
Ok. That’s me done—what do YOU think?
Get on the latest Thursday Therapy below… it’s free. x
Podcast## BIGGEST OF BIG RUMOR EXPLORED
Pedro
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5:17 PM
BIGGEST OF BIG RUMOR EXPLORED
🎙️ The Arsenal Opinion Podcast is back with Matt Kandela, Jacob Hawley, and Pete diving into an international break full of drama, transfer gossip, and what could have been in the title race.
Read full story
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