If Liverpool believe Newcastle would be willing to listen to offers between £120 million and £150 million for Alexander Isak, then surely Arsenal learnt the same information?
Andrea Berta’s strength lies in narrowing down a shortlist and taking his time to gather as much detail as possible. It is hard to believe our Director of Football has been in the market for a striker and never once reached out to his counterparts at Saint James’ Park.
Some Gooners feel it is still not too late to pull out of the Viktor Gyökeres negotiations and submit a bid for his Swedish strike partner. Not just because of what the 25-year-old can offer, but because we simply cannot afford for the champions to become even stronger.
Some have joked that if you give the Toon £150 million, you are not just buying one of the best forwards in the division, you are essentially buying the title. For that much money, I should hope so.
Sources suggest Arsenal accepted some time ago that Isak is not a realistic option this summer. Journalist Graeme Bailey told TBR:
“Arsenal moved on from Isak early in the summer when they became aware of Liverpool’s interest in the Newcastle striker, and nothing has changed in that regard.
In football there is a belief that Isak or his people have in some way made it known that were he to leave, then Liverpool would be his preferred choice which is why Arsenal moved on.”
Would Isak have guaranteed the title?
Of course, there is every chance Mr Berta was simply put off by that valuation. For a start, the Italian would want assurances that the player has his heart set on North London. Without that, you end up in a bidding war and the price becomes ridiculous.
As fans, we quickly forget the cost if the talent is successful. As already mentioned, if someone were to score 25–30 league goals and lift the Premier League at the Emirates, he would be worth every penny.
But if you are investing £130-150 million, that superstar needs to guarantee he is taking you to the next level. At the very least, he should make you favourites for all the major trophies. I am not sure Isak is quite that individual.
I have seen Geordies this week compare their number nine to Mbappe and label him one of the best in the world. If I woke up tomorrow and read Mbappe was a Gunner, I would make us favourites for the title. I do not feel the same about Isak.
There is a very different pressure playing on Tyneside compared to being in a title race, especially when burdened by a record fee. This time last year, Eddie Howe failed to qualify for Europe and it was accepted. Lifting the Carabao Cup makes you a legend with the Toon Army. In the English capital, that same player would be labelled one of the biggest flops in our history if he did not win the league. The money is that silly.
Are Arsenal right to walk away?
I know I probably sound like the man who suddenly says the girl was not that attractive after she turns him down, but it is still an insane amount of money to spend.
Football is a business. Like any company, the priority is to make or save money. If we asked the question about Isak and the answer came back at £130-150 million, you cannot say Arsenal are wrong for looking elsewhere.
They could be proven wrong, of course, if he ends up scoring for fun at Anfield. But I would not criticise my club for having doubts over a player at that price.
Unless Newcastle genuinely believe they are building the best squad in the country, I think it is financially irresponsible not to drive the Swede to Merseyside. I know their owners are wealthy, but a top four finish is worth around £100 million, which covers most of it. How silly would they look if they now fail to qualify for the Champions League after turning down that kind of money for an asset who will eventually want to leave anyway, and at a reduced value?
For over half that amount, we have identified our target. He is believed to be having his medical on Friday and will be on the plane for our pre-season tour.
How will you feel though if Liverpool steal our thunder?
Would that be title over?
Dan Smith
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Isak is a highly-skilled striker, but he can’t do hold-up play as Firmino did and he isn’t really good aerially
I’d prefer Liverpool to sign Isak than Ekitike, because Isak doesn’t press as intense as Ekitike does and Isak has suffered more injuries due to his stints in Spain/ England
Isak’s price tag is also twice Ekitike’s, so it would significantly decrease Liverpool’s transfer funds
Isak can’t guarantee you the title imo. In football luck also counts a lot. Mbappe was at PSG surrounded by talent but failed to win a title for the club but the title was finally won by avarage players!
Well they didnt win the CL but won titles
It’s a good thing Mbappe comparison was made. Reminds me of the kind of team PSG transformed into after superstars like Messi,Neymar and Mbappe left. Don’t get me wrong, the current PSG players are super stars in their own right, but it’s the team effort, rather than just an individual that got them there.
PSG coach Luis Enrique said he’d rather have four players who score 12 than one who scores 40. I take it he prizes team effort and spreading the goals around than depending on one player. It’s easy to get distracted by what our opponents are doing in the market instead of focusing on whether or not we are improving our own squad.
I wouldn’t count us out of the race even if Liverpool got Isak. Transfer business has never a reliable predictor of short term success- Liverpool, who pretty much signed no one last summer and won the Prem is proof of this.
Doesn’t matter which striker Liverpool sign , they have already done better business than we have and if they improve on their strikers at all then we will be fighting for 3rd.
The way we are haggling over the last €8.5m is bloody embarrassing.
It isn’t your money. €8.5m is almost a year’s salary for a comparable player. You should cheer for ManUre, City or Chelsea whose lack of prudent management (or haggling as you call it) has lead to the crazy inflated transfer fees we see. They throw money around in a manner that would not embarrass you.
Arsenal is already on track to achieve great things if we sign all the players we have been associated with. Let every team sign their best targets and then we shall see how all the teams fare. I maintain that if Arsenal doesn’t suffer any injuries like last year, we shall compete favourably. Our team is strong enough to stand up to anybody.
I strongly doubt Liverpool will sign Isak because it’s highly unlikely Newcastle will sell him. Why would they? They don’t need the money and he’s their star player.
Would the Newcastle board really do something like that, any more than the Arsenal board would sell, say, Saka if Liverpool or whoever came knocking?
Not happening! We backed out for a reason. Apparently they are in talks to another target in Eketike.
Even if they manage to, conceding the title is over the top. I do think they should give attention to defence right now, especially 6. They’ll need it. As a rival though, I hope they don’t.
Isak shouldn’t leave Newcastle because the team from the left right middle is structured solely for him. Gordon Murphy Joelinton bring the ball to where he is without him labouring to retrieve the ball.
Newcastle didn’t win the title with him??? And Newcastle are not selling Isak???
It’s true Newcastle didn’t win the title, but they did win a cup (which is more than some teams, no names) and they qualified for the CL as well. Looks pretty encouraging, I’d say. Why leave?
cuz he’d double his salary
No matter what happens, Liverpool will be really tough to beat this coming season.
If we get Gyokeres then we have had a really good summer with Zubimendi DM, Norgaard as a back up DM and Kepa as back up GK
And I don’t think the transfer business will stop if we get Gyokeres.
So I think we will have a better chance to win the league than last season if we get the remaining player(S) needed
Just read that Newcastle rejected an offer of 121m from Liverpool for Isak.