A fresh report has disclosed that Arsenal’s sporting director, Edu, shot himself in the foot after he missed out on the golden opportunity to address the club’s striker shortage 2 years ago by pursuing a move for Alexander Isak. However, the Gunners opted against it due to Real Sociedad’s asking price. The consequences of this decision became evident as Isak’s impressive performance over the past 18 months at Newcastle United highlighted what Arsenal missed.
In the winter of 2022, Edu presented Isak as a serious target, indicating the striker was available for just under £75 million. Despite the opportunity, Arsenal chose not to proceed with the deal, leaving their front-line unboosted by any new signings that month.
Newcastle seized the opportunity less than a year later, securing Isak for £63 million from Sociedad. Despite a modest La Liga goal tally of six in the previous campaign, Isak has proven to be a recruitment triumph for Newcastle. Despite initial challenges adapting to the Premier League, he has scored 23 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions.
Isak’s nine Premier League goals in the 2023/24 season surpassed the entire Arsenal squad, with Bukayo Saka leading Arsenal’s scorers with six goals, followed by Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus with five and three goals, respectively. Arsenal’s decision to forego Isak may now haunt Edu and Arteta as they actively seek a striker to enhance their offensive capabilities at the Emirates Stadium.
While alternatives like Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen pose challenges for Arsenal, Isak’s trajectory, set to continue upward, suggests that Newcastle will benefit from his prowess. The 24-year-old, set to turn 25 at the beginning of the next campaign, boasts experience playing in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, along with a significant number of international caps for Sweden.
Express Sport recently interviewed England legend Stuart Pearce, who advocated for Arsenal to pursue a striker in January to strengthen their title race credentials. Pearce emphasized the importance of having multiple forward options, highlighting potential uncertainties surrounding Nketiah, Jesus, and even Havertz playing up top. He suggested that acquiring a prolific goal-scorer who can guarantee 20-odd goals a season would significantly enhance Arsenal’s credentials.
As Arsenal navigates the transfer market in search of a striker, the hindsight of passing on Isak in 2022 remains a point of potential regret for the club’s leadership. The Swede’s success at Newcastle underscores what could have been for Arsenal, making their current pursuit of an impactful striker all the more crucial.
