Arsenal ‘on red alert’ as dream striker signing ‘stalls’ in contract talks with current club

Arsenal have been given encouragement they can sign Alexander Isak as the striker is refusing to pen a new contract with Newcastle United, according to a report.

talkSPORT claim that Arsenal have been put ‘on red alert’ as contract negotiations between Newcastle and Isak have ‘stalled’. There has been no progress made over the past few months, with two of the player’s demands making life difficult for Newcastle.

Isak wants to become Newcastle’s best-paid player. Anthony Gordon is due to become the Magpies’ highest earner when his new long-term deal is announced, but Isak is gunning to earn even more.

Secondly, talkSPORT state that the Sweden ace wants Newcastle to include a release clause in his fresh terms. Newcastle are reluctant to accept this demand as an exit clause would inform Isak’s potential suitors of the exact money required to sign him, and would in turn leave Eddie Howe’s side powerless to his exit.

But Newcastle’s reluctance to meet these demands could put them at risk of losing the goalscorer anyway. Arsenal are the club most interested in Isak, with sporting director Edu having set his sights on the attacker as an elite addition to replace Gabriel Jesus in the squad.

Newcastle will feel that they are in a strong position, as Isak’s current deal runs until June 2028. However, if no new contract is agreed at St James’ Park, then the 25-year-old might push for a transfer away as he could compete for major trophies with Arsenal and earn a bigger wage there, too.

Arsenal weighing up striker options

Arsenal’s main striker target currently is Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig. However, there is good reason to suggest that their Sesko pursuit is down to his availability, and that Arsenal would ideally like to sign Isak instead.

Sesko recently penned a new deal with Leipzig which includes a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ for him to leave for an achievable price in summer 2025.

While the Slovenian is in great form, having netted six goals in nine games for Leipzig this term, he is younger than Isak and does not yet have the same experience or pedigree.

Isak has not yet gotten up to full speed this campaign, but he was in sensational form last season, notching 25 goals in 40 matches for Newcastle across all competitions.

The former Real Sociedad player will not come cheap, though. After Arsenal’s interest in him first emerged, reports claimed that he is valued at around the £100million (€119.5m / $130m) mark. But Newcastle would ideally like a massive £150m (€179.1m / $195.1m) before selling him.

On September 18, TEAMtalk revealed that Isak and Sesko are joined by Viktor Gyokeres, Marcus Thuram and Jonathan David on Arsenal’s radar as they hunt for a new No 9.

DON’T MISS: Jurgen Klopp tipped to play big role in Arsenal beating trio of Prem rivals to lethal striker signing

Arsenal news: Saliba contract, midfielder bid

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk can reveal that Arsenal defender William Saliba is being lined up for a bumper new contract to prevent Real Madrid from swooping for him.

Madrid have held preliminary talks with Saliba’s camp and would love to make him their main centre-back signing of 2025.

However, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Arsenal chiefs are busy drawing up a lucrative new deal for Saliba, even though he last penned fresh terms in July 2023.

The France star is loving his time at Arsenal and will not push for a switch to Madrid for at least a few years. He wants to help Mikel Arteta’s side win the Premier League and potentially even the Champions League before he considers leaving.

Elsewhere, Sevilla are reportedly looking to lower their option to buy for Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga.

The Belgian joined Sevilla on loan from Arsenal in July. Sevilla can sign him permanently for £10m next summer, but the Spanish press claim that they are hopeful of getting him for a better price.

It is suggested that the Gunners will surprisingly be ‘open’ to selling Lokonga for less than £10m as his contract at the Emirates expires in June 2026. That is despite there already being an agreement in place over a potential £10m deal.

IN FOCUS: Isak’s importance to Newcastle

By Samuel Bannister

Isak is Newcastle’s record signing and he has had the kind of impact to match the hype – although they have had to learn to play without him too because of his injury record.

During his first season with Newcastle, he scored 10 goals from 22 Premier League games. However, there were 13 league games he was unavailable for after his arrival from Real Sociedad.

Newcastle actually coped well without Isak, going unbeaten in those matches and scoring an average of exactly two goals per game.

But the way Isak exploded in his second season showed just how much of a difference he can make. This time around, he scored 21 goals from 30 league games, missing seven and being an unused sub for another one.

In those eight games he missed, Newcastle picked up four wins, three draws and one loss. They averaged exactly two goals per game again, ironically.

This time, Isak was Newcastle’s top scorer for the season, after being outscored by Callum Wilson the campaign before. And with Wilson unlikely to have a long-term future at St. James’ Park either, Newcastle will be wary of how their centre-forward department might be changing.