Newcastle United striker and Arsenal target Alexander Isak is the form goal scorer in the Premier League and has scored nine goals in the Magpies’ last seven league games. Little wonder he’s in demand.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano believes Arsenal are in the market for a centre forward in the January transfer window and their interest in Isak – a long-standing target for the North London club – has been strengthened by Isak’s sensational strike rate.
Newcastle have won their last five fixtures in the Premier League and Isak has scored in each of them. Romano expects Arsenal to make an approach for the Swedish striker but a January move is unlikely.
Arsenal in the market for Alexander Isak this month?
“There are many links on Alexander Isak and Arsenal because he’s one of the players they’ve liked for a long time, already before this excellent season he’s having,” Romano told FourFourTwo exclusively, on behalf of casino.org.
“Mikel Arteta and people at Arsenal recruitment always had Isak high on their preferences, but he was simply not available last summer. It was impossible to convince Newcastle, they were never accepting the reported €80/90 million fee.”
If it was difficult to persuade Newcastle to sell their crown jewel in the summer, they won’t even be picking up the phone in January. Isak is ranked at no.7 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best strikers in the world right now.
“Now Arsenal appreciation remains but my information is that Newcastle don’t want to sell the player in January,” continues Romano.
“There are currently no talks, movements, bids or anything like that. Unless something completely crazy happens, Isak’s name could be one to follow in the summer rather than January, but now Newcastle have no plans to let him go.”
And who could blame them? Isak moved to Tyneside in 2022 for a reported fee of £63m and his contract runs to the end of the 2027/28 season. He’s firing on all cylinders and has fired the Magpies back up to fifth place in the Premier League, five points behind Arsenal in second place.
Arsenal’s admiration for Isak is well documented at this stage but he won’t be going anywhere in January. The Gunners might have to look elsewhere in the summer, too. Right now, it’s Newcastle who hold all the cards.
“Arsenal can look at opportunities for January, but strikers like Isak or [Viktor] Gyokeres are not available unless completely crazy money is spent,” says Romano.
“Arsenal will explore the market and the opportunities, but there’s no concrete negotiation ongoing yet for alternatives.”
Arteta is understood to be keen to bolster his attacking options with Arsenal six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal face Manchester United in the Third Round of the FA Cup on Sunday before returning to Premier League action in next Wednesday’s North London Derby at home against Tottenham Hotspur.
