Arsenal handed questionable Alexander Isak transfer blow

It’s been made abundantly clear, if it wasn’t already, that Arsenal are in the market to sign a striker in the January transfer window. And a midfielder. And a goalkeeper.

A dramatic finale to the month is set to take place after hopes of signing Dusan Vlahovic had its final nail hammered in to the coffin, which has moved Mikel Arteta and co closer to their other main striker targets: Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Alexander Isak.

Neither will be cheap. In the case of the Everton forward it’s a number in the region of £60m that has been mooted, which is only on the basis that the Toffees even allow their most valuable player to leave in the midst of a torrid season.

As for Isak, his £75m release clause is eye-watering. Arsenal will try to negotiate a lower fee than that with Real Sociedad, although how feasible that is isn’t known.

Arsenal handed questionable Alexander Isak transfer blow with Real Sociedad striker said not to ‘fancy’ January move to Premier League side

But, in the desperate quest for a striker, it may be that the release clause figure is one they’ll have to pay. If they don’t pay it now, it’s unlikely to have changed come the summer.

That only works if the player is actually keen on arriving, though. As per Dean Jones, Isak isn’t sold on the idea.

"“The bad news for Arsenal doesn’t end with Vlahovic I’m afraid,” he told GiveMeSport. “One of their other prime striker targets is Isak and from what I’m hearing, he doesn’t really fancy it at this stage.”"

Without delving into heavy handed tribalism and a self-serving disposition, it would be strange for Isak not to ‘fancy’ moving to Arsenal. His idol growing up was Thierry Henry, he became ‘best of friends’ with Martin Odegaard and recently stated that ‘one day it would be nice to play in England’.

It may well be that he sees the season panning out similarly to Vlahovic (it didn’t in the end) where he try and secure European football for his club and then reassess his options in the summer, but a hefty £75m release clause will deter the vast majority of suitors.

But in truth it’s hard to imagine the player not being enticed by the idea of playing in the Premier League for a side where he has the clearest pathway to the starting lineup as could be imagined: two strikers out of contract in the summer and another the club are trying to move on.

Perhaps it is true. Perhaps Isak has English television available and watched all the games this month. Or, it’s stirring the pot to create a buzz. Because, the point remains that it’s Arsenal Football Club who’re interested in him and few strikers of his age bracket would turn their noses up at the possibility of leading the line for them.

You like to think so, anyway.