Arsenal are in the market for a new striker and Real Sociedad's Alexander Isak is widely reported to be one of their top targets.
Alexander Lacazette is set to leave the Emirates when his contract expires at the end of the season, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's time in north London has been derailed by disciplinary issues.
Eddie Nketiah is also likely to leave, so Mikel Arteta will be eager to recruit at least two new first-team marksmen across the current transfer window and the summer one.
Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic has long been rumoured as one of the club's primary targets but with European football's finest chasing the Serbian, alternatives are needed.
One of those is Sweden striker Isak.
The 22-year-old has scored just eight goals in 25 appearances in all competitions but has reportedly been identified by Arteta and director of football Edu as somebody who can grow at the Emirates.
He is someone who knows Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard from the Norwegian's time at Sociedad as well, offering the potential for a promising link-up.
But how much will they have to pay?
As things stand, Isak has a buyout clause of around £58 million, something that was inserted into the new five-year deal he signed in Spain last summer.
But The Athletic reported on Monday that the Gunners continue to 'actively explore' the possibility of signing Isak.
Arteta and Edu have shown themselves willing to activate release clauses when necessary in the past, paying the required £45 million to bring Thomas Partey in from Atletico Madrid in 2020.
But the same report also says that Arsenal will attempt to negotiate a lower price for Isak than his release clause.
With four years remaining on his deal, it remains to be seen how much success the club will have in this respect, but with the attention of other clubs focusing on Vlahovic and Erling Haaland, it is a plan that could pay off.
