You can understand a few disgruntled and impatient Arsenal fans right now, even if Andrea Berta has concluded some fabulous deals in the transfer window to date.
While Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Noni Madueke have all arrived, the Gunners boarded their flight on Saturday for their pre-season Asia tour without a new striker.
Some supporters may deem that a failure but Berta and Co are making progress. Viktor Gyokeres is poised to arrive at the Emirates Stadium, provided there are no late hiccups.
Arsenal have long needed a striker and you sense that the fanbase will not be content with how this summer has played out until one signs on the dotted line.
Still, there could yet be a late twist in the tale.
Arsenal looking at Gyokeres alternative
Last weekend, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed that Arsenal had made a breakthrough in their negotiations with Sporting regarding Gyokeres.
He revealed that Arsenal were ‘in the process of completing a move’ for the Swede and were taking the final steps in negotiations with the Lisbon club. It’s widely thought that the remaining hold up on the deal concerns the add-ons attached to the move. Frederico Varandas, the club’s president, is said to be hankering over how realistic those add-ons are.
Still, according to The Express’ Ryan Taylor, the Gunners remain ‘relaxed’ about the situation.
Before their pursuit of Gyokeres ramped up, the dream target for Arsenal and indeed for many other clubs was Alexander Isak.
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Gyokeres’ international colleague has been the subject of interest from the north Londoners for some time now but amid recent interest from Liverpool, who are reportedly willing to slap £120m on the table, a new update has emerged concerning Arsenal.
Indeed, according to the club insider AFC Camden, ‘Isak’s representatives made contact with Arsenal in recent weeks’.
While this doesn’t mean a deal is necessarily on the table, particularly as it’s well documented Newcastle don’t want to sell, it’s interesting to see that the Gunners have been in talks as recently as this summer.
Last summer, the same source suggested that Mikel Arteta had told Martin Zubimendi to wait for Arsenal’s advances and lo and behold, the deal has now come to fruition. Perhaps this one might have legs too.
How Gyokeres compares to Alexander Isak
It’s safe to say that Arsenal need to score more goals next season. For the first time since the 1923/24 campaign, no player in the famous red and white scored double figures in a league campaign.
Yes, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz endured multiple months out with injury, but it rubberstamps Mikel Arteta’s biggest problem heading into 2025/26.
If it’s goals you’re after, then few do it better than Gyokeres. No player in Europe’s biggest leagues last season scored more goals than Gyokeres’ 54. He netted those in 52 outings, underlining exactly why Arsenal are after him.
It’s not as though he hasn’t done it in England, either. At Coventry City he led an ultimately failed promotion charge, scoring 22 goals in 2022/23 for the Sky Blues.
Yet, Isak has a special set of qualities that illuminate exactly why so many, including analyst Raj Chohan, have decided that he is “the best striker in the world.”
The Newcastle attacker may not have enjoyed a 50-goal season but he was still spectacular last term, bagging 27 in all competitions and finding the net on 23 occasions in the Premier League. Only Mohammed Salah scored more than the Swede in the English top-flight.
But it’s not just his goalscoring ability that makes him such a joy to watch. As some have already made reference to, he’s a bit like Thierry Henry. They’ve got that flair and exuberance, that willingness to run and dart down the channels, cutting inside in a similar fashion before unleashing hell on a goalkeeper.
“How many times did you see Thierry go through on goal and panic? It’s the same with Isak, if he goes through on a one-on-one you’re just always confident he’ll score,” Peter Crouch once said.
“Alexander Isak is giving me little vibes of Thierry Henry, to be honest. He’s looking so sharp right now. Those two finishes for those two goals [vs Southampton] make it seem like the easiest thing in the world,” said Nedum Onuoha on BBC Sport’s Final Score.
For those of an Arsenal persuasion, nothing brings more excitement than a player who plays in a similar manner to their all-time top goalscorer.
2022/23
27
10
3
2023/24
40
25
2
2024/25
42
27
6
It’s for that reason, and indeed Isak’s success in the Premier League already, that many would view him as the biggest superstar out of the two. He’s been doing it at the elite level for a number of years now, and he’s used to dominating the best defenders in the game.
After the Toon defeated Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, a game in which the Swede shone, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville noted that Isak had “Gabriel and Saliba on toast”. Considering the Gunners duo are two of the best centre-halves in the league, it was special praise indeed.
So, while a move to bring Isak to the Emirates is incredibly unlikely, there’s no doubting just how good a signing it would be.
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