It’s certainly one way of dissuading your Premier League rivals from luring away one of your most influential and indispensable talents. If reports are to be believed, Newcastle United will demand somewhere in the region of £200 million before they consider selling striker Alexander Isak this summer. They might as well have had the words ‘Hand Off!’ tattooed on his forehead.
News of Isak’s exorbitant price tag will come as a kick in the teeth to Arsenal in particular, with widespread suggestions that the Gunners have been keeping close tabs on the Swede for quite a while now. Of course, he is by no means the only name on Mikel Arteta’s radar, but he may well prove to be the most expensive, and for that reason, you would now imagine that the Spaniard and his transfer chiefs will seek more affordable alternative elsewhere.
To that end, Arsenal could certainly do worse than casting a beady eye over Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian striker has been in fine form this season, scoring 14 times in 31 Bundesliga outings for RB Leipzig, and continues to stake his claim as one of the most exciting young attacking talents in European football. He would also be available for around £55 million this summer, supposedly; meaning that he is on the market for almost four times less than Isak.