Curtains for Alexander Isak’s Arsenal Move?

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After Alexander Isak won Newcastle their first-ever silverware after a 70-year hiatus, it looks like they’ve leveled up their expectations of Arsenal regarding the cost of getting the superstar. 

Arsenal have been watching Isak for over a year, desperately trying to fill their front with a superstar striker, but they have failed to do so consistently. 

One of the players that fans with Arsenal tickets have always looked at is Alexander Isak. Probably one of the best forwards in the Premier League, Isak is a stand-out protege with the potential to be one of the all-time greats in the league. 

Arsenal wants him, but Newcastle might not bulge. 

Isak Transfer Possibility 

Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan is reportedly a huge admirer of Alexander Isak, and he’s made his feelings clear about the transfer interest ahead of the summer.

Arsenal have long admired the Swedish striker and are expected to turn to the market to bolster their attack following injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. This season, at least over recent weeks, Arsenal have had to resort to playing midfielder Mikel Merino as an emergency striker.

The Spanish regular scored twice against Leicester City on his debut in that role last month, but he’s only found the back of the net twice since then. Isak, meanwhile, continues to impress for Eddie Howe’s squad and was on-target during their Carabao Cup win over Liverpool last weekend.

Al-Rumayyan, who attended that showpiece at Wembley, was in for a treat as the Magpies picked up a domestic trophy for the first time in 70 years. Isak proved, yet again, that he can perform on the biggest stage, netting the effective winner for his team in the second half.

According to The Mail, the Saudi chief is adamant that Isak “won’t be going anywhere” during the summer transfer window. It’s said that he’s “sweeter” on Isak than any other player in the squad.

While Newcastle have not discussed an exact asking price for Isak, the message from those above has been clear: Al-Rumayyan and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund do not want to sell the prolific goal-scorer.

Isak is also attracting interest from elsewhere, and Barcelona watched the 25-year-old in action against West Ham last week. The Catalan giants plan to sign a marquee before their first season at the revamped Nou Camp.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is considered a big admirer of Isak, who played at Real Sociedad before his move to St James’ Park. He has three years left on his contract, and talks over a new deal will be explored at the end of the current season.

“I have high ambitions,” Isak admitted when asked about his future. “I’m trying to create my history at Newcastle.

“I’m happy with what I have done so far, but always looking forward. I’m really enjoying my football and where I’m at in my career right now.”

This situation in the Isak transfer means those with Arsenal tickets must look for other options to fit their playing Xi. 

The absence of a striker and injuries have already cost them the Premier League title this season, with Liverpool having a more than comfortable lead over them in second place. 

After 7+ seasons, fans are also asking about Mikel Arteta silverware; if the only missing piece is a superstar striker, the club is looking to invest. 

Like Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal missed the plot in finding the right striker. 

Saka New Contract Pending 

Arsenal are keen to offer Bukayo Saka a new contract amid potential interest at the end of the season.

The 23-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the 2026/27 season, and his importance to Arsenal and Mikel Arteta remains unquestioned. BBC Sport reports that the club is ‘preparing’ to meet with Saka’s representatives over a new contract extension.

The report adds that ensuring a new long-term deal is top of the club’s priorities and that ‘early moves’ towards opening concrete talks have ‘already initiated.’

Formal talks have yet to take place, and this goes for William Saliba, too. Saka, considered worth a minimum of £10million per season, last signed his current contract in 2022.

Before that, he was the subject of interest for Manchester City, and other clubs would undoubtedly become interested if the talks didn’t go smoothly.

But for now, the player is focused on returning to full fitness after suffering a hamstring tear in December.

“He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making a very good progress, I would say,” said the Gunners boss, Arteta, last Friday.

“So, let’s see when we start to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.”

Arsenal’s next game after the international break is against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on April 1. If more progress is made before then, the England international could be involved in some capacity.

Regarding contract talks, Arsenal remains conversing with Gabriel Magalhaes about his future. However, the club is said to be calm about the situation regarding Saka, Saliba, and Gabriel.

Mikel Merino – The Striker Arsenal didn’t ask for 

Mikel Merino is now playing rather well up top for Arsenal, but he is in an unfamiliar position at the front, and it is safe to say he is doing a good job around it. 

To many fans with Arsenal tickets, this was a surprise move. Mikel Merino was thrust into a striker role for Arsenal, and the club went through what Mikel Arteta called an “emergency situation” with the squad’s long injury list of attackers.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli were all long-time absentees, so Arteta had to be creative in setting up his team.

Of course, with no recognized striker, it was always going to be tough for Arsenal to have a constant stream of goals as we have become accustomed to, but over the past few weeks, Merino has started to come into his own as a forward.

The Spaniard has scored twice in his last three games in all competitions, but for club legend Ian Wright, it is what Merino is doing outside of scoring that has him bullish going forward.

“We’ve seen that he’s a very intelligent player,” Wright said on Premier League’s Matchday 

“When you watch him, and he’s linking up the play, by the time [the ball] does get to him – I watched it again when they played PSV – he’s so composed and knows where he’s passing it. That’s exactly what Arsenal needs to keep the ball up in that [attacking] third. It’s something we don’t do well because we haven’t got a focal point.”

In truth, Kai has never been strong as a target man or part of the build-up play, but Merino’s physical build allows him to be a little more physical than Havertz.

Plus, as a midfielder, his array of passing and ability to play with his back to goal are far better developed than Havertz’s, and that is what Wright is alluding to.

Merino can take the ball and lay it off so that his teammates can feed off it and drive forward, something they didn’t do with Havertz.

Merino isn’t the answer by any means, but he’s offering something that Havertz might not be able to, and that may be why the Gunners have seen an uptick in output over the last few weeks.

Arsenal tickets for the UEFA Champions League are now available to purchase. 

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