Arsenal have been linked with countless forwards in the transfer window, as it has been mooted that a striker could end up winning them the Premier League.
Arsenal will go head-to-head with Manchester City in the title race again, but they know that the difference between the sides could come down to striker Erling Haaland.
Haaland was Man City’s top scorer with 27 league goals last season, and even in games where City were struggling to score, he could produce the decisive moment of quality in front of goal.
Arsenal did score a lot overall, with the goals spread around the team, but they are arguably missing a game-changing forward, with a lack of a true goalscorer costing them in the Champions League.
Big-money moves for Mikel Arteta’s striker targets such as Viktor Gyokeres or Victor Osimhen now look unlikely, but the Spaniard is a big fan of one forward who has been linked a lot over the years. However, Arsene Wenger could have brought him to Arsenal in 2016.
Arsenal could have signed Alexander Isak in 2016
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, but a move looks unlikely, given his asking price would be well above £100m.
However, Arsenal will be frustrated as the Sweden striker was close to joining the club under Wenger in 2016.
It was reported in January 2017 that a year before, Arsenal were keen on signing Isak from Swedish side AIK.
At that point, Isak was 17 and had scored 10 goals in 24 league games. Arsenal were aware of him, and could have signed him for £300k, but missed out, and he went to Borussia Dortmund a year later.
Arsenal missed out on Alexander Isak twice
After leaving Dortmund, Isak went to Real Sociedad, where he played alongside Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard in a successful spell in Spain.
When Isak moved to Newcastle United in 2022, Arsenal were strongly linked with a move, but they instead signed Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City, as a more proven option.
Now, Arsenal do have doubts over the future of Jesus, but he has impressed in pre-season. However, they may be kicking themselves that they did not secure Isak then, as he has developed into one of the best strikers in European football, and a player seemingly perfectly suited to thrive under Arteta.
