Chelsea and Manchester United have reportedly joined Arsenal in the race to sign Real Sociedad and Sweden striker Alexander Isak.
According to the Mirror, Chelsea and Manchester United are interested in Real Sociedad centre-forward Alexander Isak, who is also a transfer target for their Premier League rivals Arsenal.
Isak burst onto the scenes at his boyhood club AIK Solna in Sweden before earning a big move to Borussia Dortmund. However, his time in Germany was largely a failure, and after a loan stint Willem II, he signed for Real Sociedad in the summer of 2019. Since arriving in Spain, the 22-year-old has enjoyed a steady development, producing a tally of 41 goals in 115 appearances.
Isak has had a rather underwhelming 2021/22 campaign so far, scoring just four times in 18 La Liga games. Despite his poor return, the Swedish international remains in high demand in the transfer market.
Arsenal were strongly interested in signing Isak in the January transfer window but failed to complete the signing. Having failed to sign him in the winter, the Gunners are preparing to make another attempt to land the La Liga forward later this year. With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang already departing and Alexandre Lacazette likely to follow suit, signing a new striker will be of paramount importance.
To that end, Isak has emerged as a key target, but signing him will depend on them qualifying to the UEFA Champions League next season. At the same time, Arsenal will also have to stave off competition from fellow Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester United if they wish to secure his services.
Chelsea’s interest in Isak stems from the uncertain future of Timo Werner at Stamford Bridge. The German international has largely underwhelmed since arriving in 2020. Romelu Lukaku has not fared any better following his club-record move from Inter Milan last year. So, Thomas Tuchel is seeking another goalscorer to address the problems at the top, especially with Werner being linked with an exit.
A move for Erling Haaland has been mooted for long, but Isak too has popped up on the radars of the reigning European champions as a potential alternative for the Norwegian international.
As for Manchester United, they will need to refresh their attacking options in the summer as Edinson Cavani is out of contract at the end of the season. Cristiano Ronaldo turned 37 earlier this week and could end up leaving in case the Red Devils miss out on Champions League football. And with Mason Greenwood suspended indefinitely, there is an urgent need for a new goalscorer.
Isak, as a result, has come up as an option that Manchester United are considering to bolster their frontline. The 22-year-old is contracted with Real Sociedad until 2026 and has a release clause worth a massive £75 million. It puts the La Liga club in a strong negotiating position when it comes to a potential sale in the summer when a bidding war could take place for the Swedish striker.
