Arsenal confirmed their second-place finish on Sunday night with a narrow 1-0 win over Newcastle.
It has been a disappointing campaign for the Gunners, with Mikel Arteta finishing yet another season without a trophy despite having spent a significant amount of money on signings.
The focus now turns to the summer transfer window, with Arsenal expected to have another busy summer under new sporting director Andrea Berta.
Among the top priorities is a new attacker, with the club linked with several top-class forwards. Among them is Viktor Gyokeres, who is strongly linked to Arsenal.
It has been reported that Berta is focusing on signing Gyokeres. Another player who has been on Arsenal’s radar for a long time is Newcastle star Alexander Isak.
Alan Smith says Alexander Isak will be a perfect fit for Arsenal
While Isak remains Mikel Arteta’s dream target, signing him is not going to be easy.
Newcastle are not keen on selling their star player as they plan to keep building on their success and see Isak as a key player for their project.
And even if they are forced to part ways with him, he will not come cheap. Isak has been valued at £120m, but according to Jacobs, the club could seek up to £150m for their superstar.
Despite the price, former Arsenal man Alan Smith believes he is going to be ‘perfect’ for Arteta’s team. Speaking on Stadium Astro, Smith said: “I think he is the perfect profile [for Arsenal] Isak, in terms of his technical ability, he would slot in really well.
“I don’t think you necessarily have to have someone who’s very clever with the ball at his feet but yeah I think he would fit in quite seamlessly.
“But there’s other players, you change your style in a slight way to accommodate different kinds of centre-forwards so it’ll be fascinating to see what Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta do.
“There’s a lot of eyes on him (Berta), new to the football club, big reputation, so what’s he going to produce for the club?”
When asked what the transfer value would be for Isak at the moment, Kevin Nolan stated that given the quality and goals he brings, he would cost £100m-plus: “I just think his goals and what he will bring to this Arsenal team, you’re talking £100m plus for me. I think that’s what Newcastle probably want.”
Alexander Isak has been sensational since joining Newcastle
Isak has been sensational since joining Newcastle, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s top forwards.
He has netted 23 league goals this season and 27 in all competitions, playing a crucial role in helping the club end their long wait for major silverware.
Since joining the club, he has scored 62 goals and provided 11 assists in 102 appearances.
Newcastle will be desperate to keep their talisman, but his future remains one of the most intriguing storylines to follow this summer.
