Newcastle United's forward Alexander Isak has been in scintillating form, scoring 7 goals and providing 2 assists in the last 5 Premier League matches, contributing a total of 11 goals and 4 assists this season. Isak has already scored 24 goals in the 2024 Premier League season, second only to Alan Shearer's record of 27 goals in a calendar year for Newcastle (Shearer scored 27 in 2002).
On December 31st, Newcastle will face Manchester United away in the 19th round of the Premier League, and Isak has a great chance to continue chasing Shearer's record. Today, let's talk about this rising star.
Isak started his career at Sweden's AIK Solna before moving on to Willem II and Borussia Dortmund. In 2019, Isak transferred to Real Sociedad from Dortmund for a fee of 15 million euros. This transfer did not receive much attention at the time, but it paved the way for Isak's future development.
His performance in La Liga has become increasingly stable, showcasing his remarkable scoring ability and maturity. In the summer window of 2022, Newcastle signed Isak for 75 million euros, setting a new record for the highest transfer fee in the club's history.
Since joining Newcastle, Isak has played 86 games in all competitions, scoring 47 goals and providing 9 assists, becoming the team's most relied upon weapon in attack.
Such explosive performances have also made Isak one of the most sought-after young stars in European football, with teams like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain showing interest.
However, Newcastle currently has no intention of letting Isak leave, and Isak himself does not have a strong desire to leave. Isak's current contract expires in 2028, and Newcastle plans to hold renewal talks with Isak after the end of this season.
Meanwhile, according to The Daily Telegraph, in order to resist the poaching of big clubs, Newcastle has set a sky-high price of 150 million pounds for Isak. This price is enough to buy two Osimhens, and Newcastle has made it clear that they will not lower their asking price.
It is reported that during last summer's transfer window, Newcastle had already set a transfer fee of around 150 million pounds for Isak, which scared off Chelsea at the time. Besides Chelsea, Arsenal has also been linked with Isak for a long time.
Villa legend Agbonlahor said: "Everyone admires Haaland, but at present, Isak is at a higher level than Haaland. He can do things that Haaland is not capable of, creating scoring opportunities for himself and assisting his teammates. Isak has both speed and technique, and his finishing ability is very strong. He is exactly the player Arsenal needs."
However, due to Premier League clubs striving to comply with profit and sustainability rules, Arsenal may find it difficult to raise enough funds to initiate transfer negotiations.
In addition, Paris Saint-Germain is also keen on signing Isak, and Barcelona and Real Madrid may also be interested in the Swedish striker.
Currently, the world football transfer fee record is held by Neymar, who joined Paris from Barcelona for a staggering 198 million pounds. The Premier League's transfer record belongs to Chelsea, who spent 106 million pounds to sign midfielder Enzo from Benfica.
We wonder what kind of waves Isak will create when he moves to a big club? How much do you think Isak is worth?