Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is reportedly “open” to a summer move to Arsenal, according to a new report.
The Swedish forward has enjoyed a career-defining season, playing a pivotal role in Newcastle’s push for Champions League qualification.
Isak has not only become the first Magpies player to surpass 25 goals across all competitions since Alan Shearer, but he has also achieved something Shearer never managed – winning a major trophy.
The 25-year-old scored Newcastle’s second goal in their 2-1 victory over Liverpool, securing the club’s first major domestic silverware since 1955.
Such impressive form has attracted widespread attention, with admirers beyond Tyneside now taking notice of the striker’s talents.
While Arsenal’s reported interest in Isak is not new, BBC Sport has revealed that the player himself “would be open to a move to London.”
However, a deal is not imminent.
There is strong competition for Isak’s signature, with Liverpool, freshly crowned top-flight champions, among the clubs reportedly keen on signing him.
Despite this, the Reds are said to be pessimistic about their chances of landing the striker.
BBC Sport adds that any potential deal between Arsenal and Newcastle may be difficult, given the financial realities surrounding a potential transfer.
The Magpies are reportedly demanding a record-breaking £150m fee for Isak, and it remains to be seen whether they would part ways with their prolific forward for any sum.
Arsenal’s need for a centre-forward is clear, and their most likely striker targets at the moment are RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.
Incoming sporting director Andrea Berta is said to favour a move for Gyökeres, though some figures within Arsenal’s hierarchy have raised doubts about his ability to replicate his impressive Portuguese league form in the Premier League.
Šeško, meanwhile, is seen as an exciting prospect for the future.
However, his current statistics don’t match up to those of Arsenal’s other targets.
While Isak has netted 23 goals in the Premier League this season, and Gyökeres boasts an incredible 38 goals in the Portuguese top flight, Šeško has scored a more modest 13 goals in the Bundesliga this term – two fewer than Omar Marmoush, who left Eintracht Frankfurt for Manchester City in January.
Read more: Liverpool set €100m price tag on Ibrahima Konate amid Real Madrid interest
Liverpool furious over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free transfer to Real Madrid
Cole Palmer’s Chelsea contract does not include Champions League release clause
