Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has sent an emphatic message to the likes of Arsenal who are targeting a move for his ‘favourite player’ in the summer transfer window.
The governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment fund was surrounded by the Geordie faithful on Sunday to watch the Magpies end a domestic trophy drought that dated back to 1955 following a 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Alexander Isak enhanced his burgeoning reputation with the goal that eventually won the game, displaying all his predatory instincts and finishing ability with a ruthless first-time finish.
The Sweden international has enjoyed another stellar campaign with the club he joined nearly three years ago from Real Sociedad for a fee in the region of £63 million.
Isak’s value has at least doubled in the intervening period and with the 25-year-old’s current contract not expiring until 2028, Newcastle are in an extremely strong position with regards to retaining the services of their prize asset.
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Having established a reputation as, perhaps, Europe’s most complete striker, Newcastle will be steeling themselves for an influx of offers come the summer.
Arsenal, who have held interest in Isak since his time at Sociedad, are understood to have made the 25-year-old their absolute transfer priority while Barcelona are also carefully monitoring his situation.
The current La Liga leaders watched Isak during Newcastle’s recent win against West Ham and are in eyeing up Robert Lewandowski’s long-term successor with the Poland international set to turn 37 in August.
Al-Rumayyan, however, has made clear to Newcastle’s hierarchy that a player the Daily Mail report he is particularly sweet on will not be going anywhere and has refused to even set a ball park asking price.
Newcastle would like to enter into discussions over a new deal and a significant pay rise for Isak, but the player appears to be in no rush, particularly with qualification for next season’s Champions League hanging in the balance.
Will Arsenal sign Alexander Isak this summer?
All the indicators suggest Arsenal are prepared for a huge summer of investment and will at least test the waters where Isak is concerned.
The Gunners kept their powder dry in January when it appeared they were in dire need of attacking reinforcements even before Kai Havertz’s season-ending injury.
It will, however, take a fee well in excess of the £100 million Arsenal spent on Declan Rice two years ago to land a player they really ought to have bought as far back as January 2022, following the decision to exile Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Whether it would represent a shrewd decision to spend the farm on a player who would solve the striker conundrum at the Emirates is another question.
Indeed, Jamie Carragher recently suggested Arsenal’s main issue at present is a lack of creativity and a more sensible course of action might be to sign another winger plus a creative midfielder which would still, in theory, allow Mikel Arteta to sign a centre forward at a more accommodating price.
It must be said, as well, that Isak, for his part, has shown absolutely no desire to leave a club who will undoubtedly make him the best paid player in their history should they qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Wembley final, the Sweden international said: ‘I am not really thinking about the summer yet.
‘That will be a talking point when the season is finished. No talks have been held yet. I have said many times that I don’t really think too much about my future.
‘I have said many times I am happy here and we are competing for titles, which is what you want as a football player. We have been to one final and now we are in another one.
‘The chances are there. We should look at it one season at a time, and this season we can win a trophy.
‘I have said many times I am focused on doing a job. All of our focus is on Sunday and bringing a trophy back.’
Nothing overly sensationalist in those words, but you could infer that this is a player acutely aware of his own value whose desire might well be to remain at Newcastle should they match his ambition and there is little, on recent evidence, to suggest they can’t.
James Goldman | Metro Sports Editor
Club legend Alan Shearer, though, has questioned why Isak would want to leave now that Newcastle have finally lifted the trophy monkey from their backs and believes last Sunday’s success could act as a springboard to greater things under Eddie Howe.
He told the BBC: ‘Kevin (Keegan) and Sir Bobby (Robson) were both fantastic for the club and both brought different things, but they didn’t bring a trophy. That’s what Newcastle fans have yearned for and now Eddie has done it.
‘Of course now we want more of the same. I look at what happened at Chelsea after they won their first trophy under Jose Mourinho, the 2005 League Cup, and at Manchester City when they ended their long wait for a trophy with the 2011 FA Cup.
‘There are no guarantees, obviously, and we don’t know what will happen next but I am really hoping this is just the start of something very special in the years ahead for Newcastle, and that this trophy is the first of many.’
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