Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak has already hinted at a potential Premier League move in the future amid reports linking the forward with a move to Arsenal.
The reports come after the Gunners missed out on the chance to land Fiorentina hitman Dusan Vlahovic, who made the big money switch to Juventus on Friday.
Mikel Arteta had been linked with the Serbian to help solve a current issue in his squad up front, with Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette both set to run down their contracts at the club this season, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains out-of-favour.
The Spaniard has since been linked with a number of other options in the striking department, including Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lille’s Jonathan David.
Sociedad’s Isak is another, with the Swedish international said to have a release clause in his current contract with the La Liga club.
Edu has proven in the past that he isn’t afraid to pay a full release clause for a player if necessary, such as Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid, allowing the club to know exactly where they stand on the transfer fee front.
The Swedish striker is deceptively technical, despite his large stature. Not only can he link play well, Isak’s pace and ability to turn a defender on the shoulder is impressive and one of the reasons that he is a highly coveted forward.
He could be the ideal type of striker for Arteta to bring in, especially given his desire to play in the Premier League.
Speaking to the Independent in November 2021, the 22-year-old claimed it would be nice to play in England, amid the rumours of an Arsenal switch.
He said: “I’m in a good place at the moment, I’m very happy, but one day it would be nice to play in England as well.
“They have six or seven of the biggest clubs in the world, it’s a very high level, and of course one day it would be an alternative.
“Every player wants to be the best version of themselves and reach the highest possible level. I have expectations for myself that I’m trying to fulfil, so we’ll see where the journey takes me in future.”
That should be music to the ears of Arteta, who has previously gone on record to state that he shouldn’t have to convince a player to join Arsenal and that they should want to join before making the switch.
Given Isak’s 17 goals in La Liga last season, it may be a deal worth pursuing, especially with a player that fits the current age profile of the squad.
However, with only a few days left in the market, it seems as though the target of a new long-term striker may have to be postponed until the summer, unless Arsenal can make some moves late in the window.
