Alexander Isak in action for Sweden at Euros 2020. (imago Images)
According to Spanish outlet AS (h/t ESPN), Arsenal are after Real Sociedad striker, Alexander Isak. However, they can expect to face competition from Real Madrid for the 21-year-old striker. The striker has a release clause of around £59.8million and that means clubs will have to spend a pretty penny to get him.
The report mentions that Sociedad still have Isak tied down for three more years. That means they can hold out for his release clause or keep hold of him. However, he is one signing that Arsenal should not wait around for. And here, we look at why Mikel Arteta should look to get the Swede.
Arsenal have two quality forwards in Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Frenchman joined the Gunners from Lyon in 2017 and fans had high hopes for him. But while he has had good spells, his goal-scoring output has not been amongst that of the very best in Europe.
The 30-year-old is still Arsenal’s trusted man up top as he featured in 31 league games, scoring 13 goals in the process. However, he is out of contract in 2022 and has potential admirers in Atletico Madrid and Juventus (h/t The Express). This means that the Gunners can lose Lacazette on a free transfer if he doesn’t renew his deal.
To add to the problems, Aubameyang has been linked with a shock move to Chelsea, as claimed by Football.london. Even the Gabonese striker is out of contract in 2023 and according to The Telegraph (h/t Football.london), the Gunners are willing to listen to offers for the 31-year-old.
Aubameyang has anyway had to make do with playing on the left-wing at times this season. The 2018/19 Premier League golden boot winner still played 29 league games, many of them as a left-winger, and managed 10 goals. So as it stands, Arsenal have two strikers who have been linked with an exit from the Emirates.
Can Eddie Nketiah be that man to replace them? It does not seem so. The 22-year-old has failed to win Mikel Arteta’s trust as of now. He made just four league starts this season. He has never really looked like being the club’s leading striker. The talented Gabriel Martinelli is also there, but the 20-year-old is very young and mostly plies his trade on the left flank.
Despite his young age, Martinelli has also suffered a number of injuries. So it is evident that Arsenal should now start looking for options. And Isak, a dependable No.9 in the truest sense, is one player they should look at. At 21, he has already set La Liga alight with his goal-scoring exploits this season.
His 17 La Liga goals during this campaign earned him a call-up to Sweden’s UEFA Euros 2020 squad, where he was impressive in the group stages. Isak also got the approval of his country’s legendary striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who called him ‘fantastic‘ at the age of just 17 years old.
Hence, it is wise for Arteta to pursue a long-term asset like Isak. He can develop and become one of the best strikers in Europe where any investment by Arsenal would pay dividends. And at the aforementioned price, he is also more affordable to attackers who are similarly aged, such as Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland, both of whom are valued at more than €150million.
