Newcastle United have reportedly entered the race to sign Real Sociedad and Sweden striker Alexander Isak this summer.
According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are considering a swoop for Swedish attacker Alexander Isak during the summer transfer window, with the Real Sociedad striker amongst the names on their attacking wish list.
The Magpies’ form has improved dramatically since the turn of the year, and they are now 14th in the Premier League standings, which has allowed the club to plan things for the next season.
Dan Ashworth’s appointment as Newcastle United’s sporting director might be delayed until November, which essentially leaves chief scout Steve Nickson, co-owner Amanda Staveley and manager Eddie Howe to call the shots in terms of summer transfer targets while former consultant Nicky Hammond continues to pull the strings in an informal capacity.
As per the report, the Magpies’ scouting department are set to hold a series of meetings to create a list of summer targets and are reportedly eyeing a goalkeeper, centre-back, centre-midfielder, winger and a striker.
In January, Howe wanted to provide more competition to talismanic striker Callum Wilson. He signed Chris Wood but is still keen to add more firepower to his attacking contingent. Real Sociedad’s Swedish sensation Isak is among a slew of high-profile targets, including Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick.
The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the most promising, in-demand young strikers in Europe and has certainly made massive strides in his career since joining Real Sociedad from Borussia Dortmund in July 2019. He has impressed in La Liga in recent seasons and has been a key figure in the Swedish national team setup after starring at last summer’s European Championships.
But, the Swedish international’s form has actually dipped a little this season. After netting 33 goals from 89 games for Sociedad in his first two seasons, Isak has only managed a sub-par tally of eight goals and three assists in 33 competitive outings this term.
But his profligacy in front of goal has not detracted his long list of admirers, and Newcastle are the latest Premier League club to be linked with a move for the Real Sociedad hitman.
With Newcastle targeting European contention in the upcoming years, thanks to the takeover by a Saudi-backed consortium back in October last year, signing a player of Isak’s enormous potential could only be a step in the right direction for the Tyneside outfit.
Dubbed as the ‘new Zlatan Ibrahimovic’ owing to his unique profile, he seems to be a perfect fit for Newcastle, considering his age and playing style. While he may not be the deadliest of strikers, his pace, trickery, technical qualities, ability to play with his back to goal and press from the front make him an ideal acquisition for Howe at Newcastle.
The project on offer on Tyneside may attract Isak, with them aiming to build a competent side for the next season. That being said, Newcastle could be set to face stiff competition from the established giants like Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal for the 22-year-old, who has a €90 million release clause, and Real Sociedad are not likely to offer a cut-price deal this summer.
