PETE JENSON: Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak was once dubbed ‘the next Zlatan’ and linked to Arsenal but only scored SIX league goals last season – so why are Newcastle smashing their club record by splashing £60m on the 22-year-old?
- Swedish star Alexander Isak was once considered ‘the next Zlatan Ibrahimovic’
- He broke through at AIK before moving to Borussia Dortmund and Real Sociedad
- Now, Saudi Arabia-backed Newcastle are closing in on a £60million deal for Isak
- Talks are advanced, with the club set to blow their transfer record by a distance
- So what will Newcastle get from Isak, who scored six league goals last season?
Newcastle fans looking at what they are getting for £60million should probably avert their eyes from last season’s goal stats and hope that Alexander Isak’s final campaign at Real Sociedad was just a reflection of him needing a new challenge.
The Sweden international scored just six times in 32 starts in LaLiga, with a further three goals in the Europa League.
He cut a forlorn figure at times as nothing quite went for him – he even had a penalty ruled out and a yellow card shown when he dummied his kick just before striking the ball.
Alexander Isak is close to completing a £60million move from Real Sociedad to Newcastle
The 22-year-old Swedish star only scored six LaLiga goals in the entirety of last campaign
But Eddie Howe wants to strengthen up front, with Callum Wilson’s fitness a constant concern
Isak looked more like his old self at the weekend, running in behind Barcelona defender Eric Garcia to score with a right-footed shot that deflected over Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Perhaps his mojo had returned knowing that he was about to get a life-changing move to the Premier League. If he did know he told no one. The Newcastle bid tabled Wednesday took everyone in the Real Sociedad dressing room by surprise.
When the news was reported in San Sebastian’s Diario Vasco one comment read: ‘I’m jumping for joy right now. What a great sale. We’ll stop seeing his continual stumbles, constant misplaced passes and woeful shots on goal.’ Another said: ‘Excellent news. This guy had his head on Mars.’
But they were perhaps the knee-jerk reactions of two supporters excited by the prospect of the club…