Stan Kroenke attends Arsenal's Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain in October.(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Stan Kroenke urged to green light £100m striker transfer to complete dream Arsenal squad

Arsenal have been linked with signing a striker in recent transfer windows

17 Oct 2024, 16:00 by Sam Truelove · football.london

Arsenal have been urged to sign Alexander Isak as his contract stand-off with Newcastle continues.

Isak has caught the eye at St. James' Park since making the move to the Premier League from Real Sociedad in 2022, with the striker scoring 36 goals in 73 appearances. The Sweden international really kicked on last campaign as he scored 25 goals in 40 appearances and that form saw him linked with a big-money move away from Newcastle.

Arsenal were one of the sides interested in Isak, football.london understands, but the Magpies did not want to lose their star forward on the cheap and were demanding in excess of £100million. While Isak still has more than three years to run on his contract, reports suggest the forward is stalling on putting pen to paper on an extension.

According to talkSPORT, Isak has been in talks with Newcastle chiefs for several months over an extension. One of the main roadblocks to an agreement is Isak's demands to be made Newcastle's top earner, while the Swede also wants a release clause added to the deal.

This perhaps gives Arsenal an opportunity in either the January or summer transfer windows. Kai Havertz has performed well in the striker role so far this season, scoring six goals in 10 appearances, but former Gunners winger Jermaine Pennant believes Isak would be a significant upgrade.

Speaking to Safest Casino Sites, Pennant said: "It’s an interesting debate. I’ll hold my hands up and say I was one of the people who didn’t think Havertz was up to the task when he first signed, but he’s found a new position and style of play under Mikel Arteta and has become a vital focal point up front for Arsenal this season.

“Is he the answer to Arsenal’s striker problems? At the moment you might say yes, but in the long-term, I’d say Alexander Isak is the solution for the club. If Arsenal can sign Isak from Newcastle as their number nine, that would be a perfect fit for all parties – even more so than Havertz. If the club want a long-term project and vision, he’d be an absolutely blinding fit.”

It perhaps would be harsh on Havertz given his form for the Gunners over the past several months, although the German can drop into midfield if a player like Isak is signed by the club in the future. Whether Isak does sign for Arsenal remains to be seen but with the January transfer window opening in less than three months' time, it's certainly a transfer saga to keep an eye on.

A lot may depend on whether owner Stan Kroenke decides to sanction such a move, with a deal likely costing north of £100million. With the club-record Declan Rice deal last summer, however, the American has shown he's not afraid to spend big on the right player.

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