“We have agreed to pay £150m for Isak and here’s why”: Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has clearly explained why the club decided to agree terms with Alexander Isak ahead of summer transfer move
Ben Jacobs says Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is a ‘dream target’ for Arsenal, who have reportedly made an offer to sign Bruno Guimaraes.
Isak has been on fire for Newcastle this season, scoring 23 goals in 33 matches across all competitions, including a decisive strike in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final victory over Liverpool.
The Swedish international was linked with Arsenal before joining the Magpies in August 2022 and interest from Mikel Arteta is still there.
There have been countless transfer stories linking Isak with a transfer to the Emirates, though he is expected to cost a British record fee above £120million.
Arsenal will be hoping Newcastle fail to finish in the top five as qualifying for the Champions League would significantly strengthen their resolve and the player’s desire to stay.
The Gunners are crying out for an elite No. 9 and Isak is exactly that. Kai Havertz has done a fine job leading the line but he is not on the same level as the 25-year-old, who feels like the final piece of the puzzle for Arteta.
Newcastle are obviously keen to keep hold of their best players but will find a nine-figure sum difficult to turn down if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Transfer expert Ben Jacobs has added fuel to the fire, claiming that Isak is Arsenal’s ‘dream target’.
Writing for GiveMeSport, Jacobs states that RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko – who has a ‘variable release clause’ currently worth around €70million (£50.5m) – is also on Arteta’s ‘shortlist’ but ‘will assess’ a move for Isak in the summer.
It is said that Newcastle have grown ‘frustrated’ by ‘constant speculation’ about the striker’s future at the club, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool ‘all alert to his situation’.
Other attacking options include Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman Matheus Cunha and Athletic Club winger Nico Williams, Jacobs adds.
Incredibly, it is also claimed that Arsenal are interested in signing another left-back with Kieran Tierney set to leave when his contract expires this summer and Oleksandr Zinchenko attracting interest from abroad.
A back-up goalkeeper is also expected to be brought in as Arteta contemplates reigniting his interest in Espanyol’s Joan Garcia.
Arsenal’s interest in Isak will be especially annoying for Newcastle fans as their Premier League rivals also reportedly want to sign Bruno Guimaraes.
According to a report from Spanish website Fichajes, the Gunners ‘submitted a £70 million offer for his services’.
Signing both Magpies players this summer would set the club back years and make Arsenal favourites to win the Premier League next season.
It does feel extremely unlikely, mind.
