Ally McCoist has made a huge claim about Arsenal transfer target Alexander Isak who he believes is currently the best all-round striker in the Premier League.
The Newcastle centre forward endured a slow start to the season but has rediscovered his potency in front of goal in recent weeks.
Arsenal have long-been linked with a move for the Sweden international who was on the Gunners’ radar when the gifted forward was playing alongside Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino at Real Sociedad.
Newcastle are adamant that Isak will not be allowed to move in the January transfer window but are yet to make any progress in their attempts to tie the 25-year-old to a new long-term contract.
The north east club have slapped a £150 million price tag on their prize asset and although McCoist stopped short of suggesting that would represent value for money, he did suggest that on recent evidence he is a better all-round player than Erling Haaland.
‘I think he probably is at this moment in time the best out and out centre forward in the league,’ he told TNT Sport. ‘I really do. I think he’s got everything.
‘He can come short, he can hold it up I think he can get in behind. He’s the one centre forward out of them all that really enjoys playing that role up there by himself.
‘You look at someone like Haaland, if he doesn’t get service sometimes anonymous whereas Isak will always give you something. Haaland can finish as well as anybody if not the best on the planet.
‘All-round game, he is unstoppable and the variation in the goals he scores is there. Great header against United, he scores tap-ins, he’ll run through.
‘He’s one of these centre forwards that at this moment in time if you see him go through one-on-one with the goalkeeper you fancy him.’
Former Arsenal star Paul Merson said earlier this week that his former club should break the bank to sign Isak this month, but Howe played down the significance of those comments ahead of Saturday’s game against Tottenham.
He said: ‘I think it comes with the territory now to be honest. Maybe in my very early days that would have maybe left more of an impression, those comments. but I think when you’re in the position I’m in now you sort of ignore it and it’s irrelevant.
‘There will be so much talk, noise and rumour and you can’t control it all, you can’t even begin to try, so you just have to ignore it and focus on the facts I think.
‘Our players are loved by us, wanted by us and we’ve got massive games to come.
‘We need them to perform so their focus can only be on what they’re delivering in the here and now.
‘We can only control what we can control but I don’t see that being an issue for us, especially in this window.’
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