Liverpool have emerged as a potential transfer destination for Alexander Isak.
Isak was the second-top scorer in the Premier League last season, notching 23 goals in 34 appearances, adding four more in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup too.
The Swede is seen as the dream signing for Liverpool, who have already added Jeremie Frimpong to their squad for next season and look set to add Florian Wirtz too for £116million.
Isak would not only be Liverpool’s dream signing though. For some time he has been seen as the dream striker addition for Arsenal.
The Gunners have been linked with a move for Benjamin Sesko this summer – with reports of a verbal agreement in place with the player – while Viktor Gyokeres is also heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Both are seen as cheaper options for Arsenal, with Isak likely to cost upwards of £100million to prise him away from Newcastle who have no intention of selling.
Isak has Premier League experience, however, something the other two do not, hence the price tag on his shoulders.
The Magpies qualifying for the Champions League on the final day of the Premier League season made signing the frontman even more troublesome. But if Liverpool can get some players – like Darwin Nunez – out of the Anfield exit door, they may well make a move to break the British transfer record again to sign Isak.
That would be hugely damaging to Arsenal, with the Reds strengthening impressively having won the Premier League title ahead of the Gunners last season.
But were Arsenal to make a late decision to drop talks with Sesko and Gyokeres to sign Isak instead, they can offer the Swedish frontman something Liverpool cannot necessarily.
Arsenal are in desperate need of a striker and Isak would be the first choice No.9 for the Gunenrs were he to sign. That is likely to be the case for Liverpool too, but there is more of a fluidity to Liverpool’s attacking lilneup than Arsenal’s.
Arne Slot was known to pick from Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Nunez last season, with Federico Chiesa also available to play up top.
All five are capable of playing through the middle, with all five also capable of playing in the wide spaces in Slot’s formation.
Isak is an out-and-out striker – a No.9 with an eye for goal playing through the centre. Slot may have to adapt his fluid frontline were he to sign the Newcastle man, whereas Mikel Arteta could ask Isak to play through the middle every week with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz around him.
It is fanciful, of course. If Liverpool signed Isak he would undoubtedly become their number one No.9, but as things stand it would seem more logical for Isak to sign for Arsenal.
