Barcelona reportedly view Real Sociedad forward Alexander Isak as a potential alternative to priority target Erling Haaland.
According to Spanish journalist Sique Rodriguez on his appearance on Carrusel Deportivo, Barcelona are eyeing Alexander Isak as a potential alternative to Erling Haaland. However, the Catalan giants might need to trigger his €90 million release clause to swoop the Swedish forward away from fellow La Liga club Real Sociedad.
Alexander Isak joined Real Sociedad from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2019 and has since made significant progress in his career. And over the last couple of years, the 22-year-old has gone a long way in filling the void of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the Swedish national setup as well.
The 2021/22 season might not have started in the most prolific fashion – Isak has just one goal in seven games so far – but he has still managed to impress while making a mark during Sweden’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers as well. As a result, it is hardly a surprise that some of the biggest clubs in the world have their sights set on him, with one potential suitor being Barcelona.
This is not the first time that Barcelona have been linked with Isak, who has appeared on the Catalan club’s agenda previously. However, the continued interest in the young forward does make sense, as the Blaugrana can do with a long-term solution in the form of a striker.
While Sergio Aguero is touted to be a fine solution for a few years, it is worth noting that neither Martin Braithwaite nor Luuk de Jong appear to have much of a future at Camp Nou. With Aguero well into his thirties, it makes sense for Barcelona to be preparing for the long-term future, with Isak a viable target to that end.
Barcelona’s priority is reported to be Erling Haaland, and there have been suggestions that they do lead the race to sign the Norwegian attacking powerhouse. However, with competition for Haaland being as intense as it is, Barcelona will be well served with keeping their options open, which is where Isak comes into the picture.
However, his €90 million release clause could well complicate matters for Barcelona and it will be interesting to see if they are ready to trigger it to prise him away from fellow La Liga club Real Sociedad. An intriguing transfer story, which depends on where Haaland ends up next summer.
