Barcelona will reportedly face stiff competition from Arsenal in pursuit of Alexander Isak, whose Real Sociedad contract has an €80 million release clause.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Arsenal and Barcelona will be vying for the signature of Alexander Isak in the summer transfer window. The Gunners have already contacted the Real Sociedad striker’s entourage but have a problem triggering his €80 million release clause.
Alexander Isak has made massive strides in his career since joining Real Sociedad from Borussia Dortmund in July 2019. A key figure for club and country, the Swedish international has also grown in stature for his national side and will be an important player for them in the FIFA World Cup 2022 playoffs.
But the 22-year-old has struggled in the ongoing campaign, managing a sub-par record of eight goals and two assists in 29 appearances across all competitions. Despite being far from prolific this term, Isak has no shortage of suitors, with Barcelona and Arsenal keen on signing him in the summer transfer window.
The Catalan giants consider Isak a potential alternative for Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian striker being their primary target. While Isak is not nearly as prolific as Haaland, he has the experience of playing in La Liga and could be a valuable addition to the first-team setup, where he could learn the ropes from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The 22-year-old Swedish striker is thus a viable target for Barcelona, who will need to fend off stiff competition from Arsenal in the race to sign him. Like Barcelona, the Gunners will also need to invest in a striker in the summer transfer window, having offloaded Aubameyang last month, with Isak emerging on their radar.
In addition, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah have contracts that expire this summer, putting Arsenal in a spot of bother. Isak could thus be a much-needed addition to the north Londoners’ first-team squad, with the club now contacting the player’s entourage.
But Arsenal are unlikely to be open to triggering his €80 million release, which they have deemed excessive and beyond their means. Spending €80 million to sign Isak could also be a tall order for Barcelona, meaning the two suitors will likely ask Real Sociedad to lower their asking price to snap him up in the summer transfer window.