Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal-linked striker is a “top player” | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal-linked striker Alexander Isak is a “top player” ahead of the Gunners’ cup tie against Newcastle United.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Arsenal have seemingly been keeping an eye on Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak for a while now, with transfer rumours persistently cropping up for the last few years, but the Gunners will have no choice but to watch the striker in action in midweek.

Mikel Arteta’s side are facing Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final, with the first leg taking place at the Emirates on Tuesday night.

Arteta has admitted it’s not going to be easy facing Isak in his current form, suggesting the striker is one of the opponent’s primary threats.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

“He’s a top player in top form scoring a lot of goals and we try to minimise the strength of the opposition,” Arteta said on Monday. “That’s a big part of the plan when we’re playing any opponent.”

Isak has already scored against Arsenal this season, netting in the Premier League fixture at St. James’ Park, and he has nine goals in his eight games since the start of December.

It’s arguably the best the 25-year-old has played since moving to England, and he’ll be desperate to push his current team into the League Cup final in March.

Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

Looking further into the future, it seems Arsenal are likely to try and sign Isak at some point, but Newcastle really have no intention to sell.

Recent reports suggested that Newcastle quoted a fee of £150m when Chelsea came calling last summer, and they don’t plan on lowering that asking price in 2025.

Isak is under contract until 2028, and Newcastle want to extend that deal even further. Talks are on hold for the time being, but the plan is to start them up again when possible.