Arsenal consider £130m transfer call on Alexander Isak amid injury fears undermining summer budget

Alexander Isak stands above all other players when it comes to the dream signing for Arsenal in the summer of 2025. The goal-scorer in the League Cup final who ended a 70-plus year trophy drought for Newcastle added to his growing tally of goals which has cemented him above even Erling Haaland during the current campaign as the Premier League’s top striker despite being two off the Norwegian’s league tally.

Having two more league assists than Haaland in a team far less possessing of world-class players is enough to solidify that claim. For Arsenal and Mikel Arteta in particular, the Swedish international would be the dream addition and the Gunners are far from the only side interested.

Arne Slot and Premier League champions-elect Liverpool will be looking at that position, especially considering the potential of the likes of Mohamed Salah leaving the club in the summer. If Arsenal want Isak they are going to have to pay up.

That figure is expected to be very large and well over £100million. The current club record is the £105million they paid West Ham for Declan Rice in the summer of 2023, yet this does not mean that the club will be inclined to do so again.

While Rice’s arrival has helped cement the club in the league title conversation, it has not yet pushed it over the line. Many feel the centre-forward role is indeed what will do just that and even more believe Isak would effectively guarantee that.

The confidence the club had in paying such a price for Rice was bore out of more than just his talent and ability combined with extensive experience in the English top flight, but also the player’s availability. At 26, Rice has missed ten matches for club and country, only three of those came for Arsenal since his arrival which occurred due to a broken toe and again, it was 16 days he missed.

Isak on the other hand has a well-documented and lengthy list of problems. This season alone he has missed nine games for Newcastle and Sweden while in total since his move to England the tally reaches 39 matches across 206 days with six separate issues.

There were seven more injury-related absences from his time at Real Sociedad and Borussia Dortmund too. This is what could stop the club in its tracks when it comes to making such a significant financial commitment on Isak.

At 25, they would be committing to a player who they would hope would play at least the next five years, his best years, at the club with little view of selling him on. This investment would need to work and would have to deliver.

If he was to come in for the reported £130million that Newcastle would want, at the very minimum, then this would affect other potential business Arsenal might want to address in the window. Be that left wing, attacking midfield, defensive midfield, a versatile defender and backup goalkeeper.

Martin Zubimendi is another player who is a summer priority, with a price that also is expected to be more than £50million. Add Isak and Zubimendi’s prospective price tags together and you’re already getting close to £200million on two players.

There is financial room in the summer to splash some cash, but still within some means with the ongoing overshadowing of Financial Fair Play and Profit and Sustainability Regulations. For Arsenal, wages are another key factor having seen in the last set of Financial Results a major increase in this area.

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