£60m striker sends Mikel Arteta transfer message as Arsenal make move to seal deal

Isak fired Sweden to glory with a Zlatan-esque piledriver as the Arsenal transfer target reminded Arteta what he can bring to the Emirates

Arsenal transfer target Alexander Isak continues to fulfil his seismic potential as the 22-year-old follows in the hallowed footsteps of his predecessor, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Isak fired his country to victory with an incredible long-range effort in Sweden’s three-goal demolition of Kosovo on Saturday night, reminding Mikel Arteta of his worth following a summer of ongoing links tying the striker to the Gunners.

The Real Sociedad talisman ensured that the Swedes sustained their silver medal position in Group B of the World Cup qualifiers and now sit just one point adrift of leaders Spain.

Isak’s spectacular strike marked just his third goal of the season for club and country after enduring a fairly slow start following Euro 2020.

Despite this, the striker’s thunderous effort was more than enough to refresh Arteta’s memory on what he could bring to the Emirates should a move materialise, adding a fourth dimension to the Spaniard’s attack.

The Athletic reported earlier in the summer that the Gunners were ‘keeping tabs’ on Isak ahead of a potential move and that Edu is a big admirer of the young striker.

The report suggested that the frontman may have been high on Edu’s wishlist but Arsenal had striker transfer issues of their own.

Edu failed to generate cash by selling the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette, something which likely had an impact on their pursuit of the youngster.

According to Spanish outlet AS, Isak has a €70 million (£59.8 million) release clause in his contract at the Reale Arena and Real Sociedad will ‘refuse to negotiate’ unless the clause in his deal is triggered, as they look to retain the services of their prized asset whose contract expires in 2026.

However, despite the figure seeming an unreasonable one for Arsenal to meet right now, various clubs have emerged as potential suitors for Lacazette in January.

football.london understands that the France international has no intention of extending his stay at Arsenal once his contract expires at the end of the season, so a January move would ensure the Gunners don’t miss out on a cash sum.

According to The Sun, the north London side were willing to let Lacazette go for £15 million in the summer, but with foreign clubs now in the power position over negotiations, Arsenal could easily be left with no choice but to sell for less than said evaluation.

ESPN have claimed that Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan and Sevilla are all interested in the 30-year-old striker, meaning Arsenal may be able to tempt clubs into a bidding war to recuperate some of the £46.5 million paid in 2017, while also reigniting their interest in Isak.

----------------------------------------

By: Football Auditor
Title: £60m striker sends Mikel Arteta transfer message as Arsenal make move to seal deal
Sourced From: www.footballaudit.com/60m-striker-sends-mikel-arteta-transfer-message-as-arsenal-make-move-to-seal-deal/
Published Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2021 09:23:02 +0000

Read More