Newcastle United 25-goal striker transfer 'doubt' amid Arsenal & Chelsea links 

Since his club record £63million arrival from Real Sociedad in 2022, Isak has scored 35 goals in 67 appearances for Newcastle. 25 of those goals came during an impressive 2023-24 campaign which saw the 24-year-old challenge for the Premier League’s golden boot.

Isak’s form at Newcastle has attracted interest from several top clubs. Arsenal are long-term admirers of the Swede while Chelsea held talks with Newcastle over the player last month.

The Magpies were under pressure to raise funds ahead of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules deadline on June 30 and Chelsea approached the club looking for a potential cut-price deal. Despite Newcastle’s precarious situation at the time, they stood firm and would not entertain the sale of Isak unless an exceptional offer was made.

Isak is expected to stay at St James’ Park this summer as Newcastle were able to successfully dodge PSR sanctions through the last-minute sales of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh.

Although Isak is now lauded as one of the best strikers in the Premier League, former Chelsea right-back Glen Johnson has his doubts on whether he would continue to shine at a ‘title-challenging’ side.

“Alexander Isak is a good player and had a good season at Newcastle,” Johnson said. “If another top team can get him on the cheap, then there’ll be a lot of interest. 

“I like him, but just question if he has the characteristics to be the main man at a big team that’s fighting for the title.

“Whether he has that character about him, I’m not too sure. He’ll be worth a chance for the right money.”

In spite of Johnson’s comments, teams will struggle to get Isak ‘on the cheap’ with Newcastle’s valuation of the player understood to be well over £100million and in excess of the Premier League’s transfer record.

Isak is also very highly rated by Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe, who said back in May: “I think he is [world class]. I'm not overly analysing every striker in world football, I'm focused very much on my team so I'm not the best person qualified to give that opinion but the big question is would I swap him with anyone else? No I wouldn't.

“When you look at his age profile, what's to come and look at his attributes and qualities, he's some talent.”