A difficult decision to make
Arsenal face having to sell one of its main stars to fund their top summer target.
The Gunners have recently slipped 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool and are currently operating without a striker after the club’s hierarchy and manager Mikel Arteta agreed not to sign any attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window.
The Athletic claimed that that decision was made so they could wait until the summer when higher priority targets would become available.
However, it is a decision that has backfired spectacularly, with just 12 games to play their hopes of lifting their first Premier League trophy since 2004 are all but over.
Arteta’s men will be looking forward to pre-season when they can boost their ranks and welcome back to full fitness the likes of Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
According to the Daily Mirror, Arsenal may need to sell one of Saka, Havertz or Gabriel Martinelli to fund their summer signing.
It is claimed that either Martinelli or Leandro Trossard could be out the door this summer, amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
The funds gained from that sale would put Arsenal in a better position to pursue a move for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, who has been the best striker in the Premier League this season.
According to Spanish outlet Sport Newcastle would consider selling the Swedish striker for around €100 million (£83m) if they fail to qualify for next season’s Champion’s League.
However, an asking price of around €150 million for the 25-year-old has been quoted elsewhere.
Should the Gunners be willing to pay that fee, it would smash their club transfer record, which currently stands at the £100 million they spent to sign midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham in the summer of 2023.
