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Alexander Isak is at the top of Arsenal‘s list of striking targets for the summer, as Mikel Arteta is now intent on buying the forward that will complete his team.
Newcastle United are strongly resistant to selling the Swedish star, and will even seek to offer him a new deal.
Much may depend on whether Isak agitates to go though, having proven a big success since signing from Real Sociedad for £63m in 2022.
Although the pressure from PSR regulations has created an expectation that Newcastle would have to sell to buy, with the 24-year-old their finest talent.
The club’s Saudi Arabian ownership is intent on keeping such players as a show of intent. Isak has scored 23 goals in 36 games this season, amid a series of sparkling performances.
It is for the same reasons that Arteta has the Swedish international at the top of his list.
Arsenal looked at a striker in the January window but their own PSR restrictions prevented a move, with the position further influenced by the lack of value on the market.
Arteta now sees plenty of value in Isak, although the club have a set price and do not want to get into a long-winded saga where they go back and forth.
There is a short list of names that Arsenal see as strong targets beyond that, and they will be prepared to move on should a deal prove difficult to complete quickly.
The Premier League leaders will nevertheless test Newcastle’s position.
The Saudi-owned club’s hierarchy nevertheless want to illustrate that they won’t be pushed around, and a distinctive aim is to show they can be on a par with clubs like Arsenal over the next few seasons.
They will likely attempt to ward off interest in Isak by exploring a new contract, but the response to that may well indicate how committed he is to the project.