‘Good fit’ – Alexander Isak urged to join Premier League club amid Arsenal and Chelsea transfer links

Alexander Isak has been urged to join another Premier League club amid speculation linking the Newcastle United striker with a big-money summer move to Arsenal and Chelsea.

Isak has enjoyed a brilliant season at St James’ Park, scoring 25 goals for a Newcastle side that won the Carabao Cup and are looking to qualify for the Champions League.

A number of clubs are interested in signing Isak but Newcastle will demand a fee of over £100m to sell the 25-year-old.

There is no sense that Isak will push to leave St James’ Park at this stage of the club’s development but the Sweden international has been told joining Chelsea would be a ‘good fit’.

Chelsea are expected to sign a new striker this summer and would reportedly love to bring Isak to Stamford Bridge.

‘I would like to see Alexander Isak at Chelsea,’ former Blues midfielder Gus Poyet told Discasino.

‘I know him from his time at Real Sociedad and I know his characteristics, movement, and technical ability, and I think he’d be a good fit at Chelsea.

‘I also think Nicolas Jackson needs competition up front – if you want to be the number 9 at Chelsea, you need to be better than how he’s currently performing.

‘Sometimes to get better you need more of a challenge – it didn’t work out with Christopher Nkunku up front, so Jackson needs someone else to try and push him. Isak can be that player.’

Arsenal stars ‘want club to sign Isak’

Arsenal have been the club most heavily linked with Isak and club legend Ian Wright believes current players will have endorsed the move in chats with Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners’ injury problems has forced central midfielder Mikel Merino to play up front in the second-half of the season.

‘Watching him [Isak] against Saliba and Gabriel [earlier this season] was torture,’ Wright said earlier this week.

‘He gave them a torrid time because they didn’t know he could pick the ball up and run at them, he could back into them, and people can run off of him, and he can link the play, he can run beyond them and score.

‘I remember Alan [Shearer] and I were texting afterwards about how watching a centre forward like this is very exciting because you don’t see it, especially against the top defenders in the league.

‘You don’t see them get run around. You don’t see them get run ragged.

‘To watch my two centre-halves get run ragged like that is the reason why he’s probably linked with us, because there is no way Saliba and Gabriel are not saying to Mikel, “we’ve got to go and get that guy”.

‘When you’ve got someone like him, he can do everything. He’s not needing anyone in particular to play off him.

‘He’s got a decent midfield to play off him, wingers who look to put the ball in the box because he’s got a great header as well.

‘He can fit into most systems, and you would probably change the system a bit for him.’

Carragher would ‘love’ Isak at Liverpool

Premier League champions-elect Liverpool have also been tentatively linked with a move for Isak, who moved to Newcastle in 2022.

Arne Slot is set to win the title having played without a recognised striker for most of the season.

Jamie Carragher, a legend at Anfield, insists he would ‘love’ Isak to join Liverpool but is unsure whether a deal will materialise.

‘There are still areas in that squad that need improving,’ he said. ‘I think a centre-forward is a must.

‘I imagine the front part of the team is the area that really needs a bit more surgery than others because of the age profile of certain players there and the contract situations.

‘The one that every club would love is Isak, isn’t it? I don’t think we’re in a position where this is absolutely great centre-forwards all around Europe.

‘Do I think Liverpool could go and buy Isak? I don’t know. I’m not sure Liverpool would want to pay that type of money for one player, I don’t think it’s really the model.

‘Liverpool’s model is: we’ll get the next Isak. They’re probably kicking themselves, saying, “Why didn’t we get Isak from Real Sociedad?”, so I don’t think they’ll go and break the bank for him.’

Newcastle batter Palace to boost top-five hopes

Isak scored his 25th goal of the season on Wednesday night as Newcastle battered Crystal Palace 5-0 to boost their Champions League hopes.

The thumping victory leaves Newcastle third in the Premier League – four points behind Arsenal and two ahead of Nottingham Forest – with six games remaining.

Asked about the race for Champions League football after the win, Newcastle assistant manager Jason Tindall said: ‘That’s where we want to get to.

‘Everybody in the Premier League wants to be in the champions league. We’ve experienced it before and we want more of it.

‘We’ve got six cup finals now remaining and we have to stay focused to be able to go out there and deliver the performances we know will help us to get Champions League.’

Newcastle and Isak return to Premier League action this weekend against top-five rivals Aston Villa, who were knocked out of the Champions League in midweek.

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