- Swedish striker Alexander Isak has been in blistering form for Magpies this term
- The 25-year-old would cost a British-record transfer fee to sign him this summer
- LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! Why Manchester United may have to sell Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer believes that the only club that could afford to sign Alexander Isak this summer is Chelsea.
Mail Sport exclusively revealed that Arsenal would not be able to stump up the likely British-record transfer fee that would be required to take the in-form Swedish striker from St James’ Park.
Isak scored his 15th goal of the season in a man-of-the-match performance against the side that have long been linked with his signing. But despite the admiration of the Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and former sporting director Edu, the need to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules make a move impossible.
The news comes as a boon to Magpies supporters, including former striker Shearer, who is adamant that the 25-year-old is too costly for any club to prise away from the North East save for one Premier League outfit.
‘Other than possibly Chelsea, I genuinely don’t think that anybody could afford to buy Alexander Isak; because of the way that the rules are structured with PSR, I don’t think that anybody could afford him,’ he told Betfair.
‘I’ll never say PSR rules are a good thing – even without them in place, I’m not sure if anybody would be able to go to the price that Newcastle would ask for to sell him.
Alan Shearer believes that Chelsea are the only club that could afford to sign Alexander Isak
The Swedish striker is in red-hot form for the Magpies and netted his 50th goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Arsenal this week
Shearer reckons that PSR compliance rules all clubs out of the running save for Enzo Maresca’s side
‘I’d guess that they wouldn’t even entertain it. If you’ve paid £63 million for someone and he’s smashing the league up like he is right now, what would the price be?
‘I’ve looked at £150million being talked about, but I don’t think that they would even entertain that, why would they?
‘The problem then would be getting somebody in who could do as good of a job. That, at the minute, is what everybody needs – a centre-forward.
‘There isn’t a club in the country who wouldn’t go out and buy a centre-forward like Isak if one was available.’
Newcastle sources insist there is no asking price for a player they want to keep at St James’ Park, but it would almost certainly take a fee in excess of the British record £115m Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo if he were to leave.
Isak’s situation on Tyneside is not straightforward. He is already the club’s top earner and has a contract until 2028. However, there is no doubt a player of his calibre could demand a higher wage elsewhere.
For now, Newcastle are unable to improve his contract status because of PSR, but a return to the Champions League would likely change that stance come the summer. It would also provide the player with the platform of the top European competition he desires.
Eddie Howe’s side currently sit fifth in the Premier League on the back of five straight wins and a second leg versus Arsenal away from the Carabao Cup final.
Their improved on-field fortunes make the chances of the star striker remaining with the club increasingly likely. He has scored 50 goals in 89 matches for the club since his £60m signing from Real Sociedad in 2022.
