Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City? The Premier League sides that could tempt Isak to England

Stefan Bienkowski

Updated: 23 May 2023 08:54 CDT
4 min read

Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak undoubtedly set pulses racing in English football this week when he confirmed his desire to one day play in the Premier League.

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After finding his feet in the Spanish top flight, the Sweden international has quickly become one of Europe’s most exciting young strikers and will undoubtedly interest a number of Europe’s top clubs.

However, with a market value of €45 million and a contract at Sociedad that is set to run until 2026, only a handful of English clubs would likely be able to afford Isak if he was serious about a move to the Premier League.

So which English club would suit the No.9 the most and which one is most likely to sign him?

Chelsea

While Isak may have been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea in the past, that now seems like an unlikely destination for the young striker.

The Stamford Bridge side have already bagged a top No.9 in the form of Romelu Lukaku and have plenty of cover in the form of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. That isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

Arsenal

Unlike Chelsea, Arsenal could soon need a No.9 like Isak and the Swede is likely to be a transfer target for the North London club next summer.

With Alexandre Lacazette likely to leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not getting any young, Arsenal will need to spend big on a new goalscorer and Isak could be the perfect signing for them.

Manchester United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side may be inconsistent but they don’t usually lack firepower, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani all able to play in the No.9 role with relative ease.

Whether all three of those players will still be at Old Trafford next season remains to be seen, but it’s unlikely that the club will be looking to fork out for a new striker anytime soon.

Liverpool

Liverpool undoubtedly have one of the best forward pairings in the world in the form of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, with Diogo Jota to boot. However, it remains to be seen whether the club will be able to keep that dynamic duo together for much longer.

If Salah’s contract demands prove to be too high, the Anfield side could instead look to cash in on the Egypt international next summer and at that point a young striker like Isak may become very appealing. But for now that remains a very hypothetical situation.

Manchester City

While Manchester City certainly have the means to buy Isak, Pep Guardiola remains a manager that avoids using No.9s unless he really is forced into doing so.

It seems more likely that the Spaniard will stick with Gabriel Jesus as his go-to striker or indeed make another move for Harry Kane next summer. If all else fails, the English giants will likely go for a higher calibre of striker before they consider a move for Isak.

© ProShots - Kane may dictate where Isak ends up in the Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur just spent the entire summer keeping a hold of Kane so for now they won’t even be entertaining the thought of signing another striker. But that could quickly change if the England international’s form doesn’t turn around quickly.

Should Kane continue to sulk at the London club and push through a move to Man City, Isak would undoubtedly be one of the names on any list of potential replacements. And Spurs would surely have the money to sign him.

Newcastle United

It’s anyone’s guess who Newcastle United are seriously interested in signing either in January or the following summer transfer window, but few would doubt that they likely have the means to sign Isak if they want.

Whether the young Swede would be tempted to Newcastle before relegation is entirely ruled out or indeed before a squad and manager to challenge for silverware have been confirmed is another question entirely.