Arsenal and Barcelona target Isak wants to play in the Premier League
Martin Macdonald
- 4 Nov 2021 11:01 GMT
- 5 min read
Alexander Isak has revealed a desire to one day play in the Premier League.
The young Swede is making a name for himself at Real Sociedad, where he is emerging as one of the best young strikers in Europe.
He has already had one big move in his career, joining Borussia Dortmund from AIK in 2017, but it was a spell at Willem II and now his performances in La Liga which have earned him a burgeoning reputation.
Isak enjoyed the best goalscoring season of his career in 2020/22, netting 17 times in 30 starts in the Spanish top flight.
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It was his improvement last campaign which saw some of Europe's top clubs take notice, with Arsenal and Barcelona the two main candidates for his signature.
A transfer never came close to materialising, however, after Real Sociedad demanded his full €75 million release clause be paid.
Even if a move to Arsenal didn't work out in the summer, it could still happen with the Gunners or another club in England in the future, if Isak gets his wish.
“I’m in a good place at the moment, I’m very happy, but one day it would be nice to play in England as well,” he told the Independent.
“They have six or seven of the biggest clubs in the world, it’s a very high level, and of course one day it would be an alternative.
"Every player wants to be the best version of themselves and reach the highest possible level. I have expectations for myself that I’m trying to fulfil, so we’ll see where the journey takes me in future.”
What happened to Isak at Dortmund?
When Isak signed for Dortmund, he would subsequently be embarrassed by then-head coach Thomas Tuchel, who admitted at the time he had never heard of the young striker.
The comments from Tuchel came during a feud between the head coach and Dortmund head scout Sven Mislintat, who at that time were butting heads over recruitment.
Tuchel subsequently never gave Isak much of a chance, while Peter Bosz and Peter Stoger failed to spot his talent also.
Even though his time at Dortmund was forgettable, Isak insists he does not regret the move.
“It was still a good experience for me, I learned a lot, I developed a lot, and I was around great young players who became good friends," the Swede explained.
"You make each other better. I never doubted myself or my quality. The only question was how long it would take to get back my form.”
Isak is part of a Sociedad side who are currently riding high at the top of La Liga.
