Arsenal suffer transfer blow in pursuit of £150m striker after Mikel Arteta update

Arsenal may not be able to secure their dream transfer after news of Gabriel Jesus’ injury was revealed by Mikel Arteta.
Speaking in his press conference, he confirmed that Jesus has suffered an ACL injury. Unfortunately, Gabriel Jesus’ injury is not looking good… we were very worried after the game and we are very worried today, waiting for the final report”.
Such an injury will likely rule him out of the season, leaving them short in the attacking department as they aim to chase down Liverpool and go deep into the Champions League knockout stages. However, his injury potentially left Arsenal’s transfer plan in tatters.
Given his injury, the club will not be able to offload him in the summer, which was the likely outcome for the Brazilian having managed a record of just 26 goals in 96 games having fallen down the pecking order.
His sale would have helped to fund a new forward. It also means they are more inclined to head into the transfer window this month to find a replacement with Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic being a potential big-money addition.
While the January window is always a tricky landscape to negotiate, Arteta confirmed their transfer stance. “We are actively looking in the market to improve the squad. We are on it”, he told reporters today.
Currently, they have Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz who operate in the forward roles but neither have proven that they have enough quality to sustain a title challenge which could lead to a deal for a striker in the next few weeks.
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All of this spells trouble for their pursuit of Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, who had been identified as a top target to lead the line. Some reports have quoted that Isak would cost somewhere around £150million due to the fact his deal doesn’t expire until 2029.
Having netted nine goals in his last seven league games, including 15 goals for the season, he has shone across the past few months.
Many believe he is staking a claim for being the best striker in the league on current form and with Arsenal struggling to score goals from open-play, Isak would be the perfect addition to their side.
He recently showed the Arsenal fans his quality by managing a goal and assist against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium, as Eddie Howe’s side earned a two-nil victory to take into the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
Speaking on his future, Isak refrained from making any future predictions. “No, it doesn’t really faze me too much. I think that’s more for you guys and for fans to talk about,’ he replied when quizzed on reports surrounding his price tag.
“I’m in the middle of the season and I think it’s going really well for me and the team, so, you know, all my focus is here. I’m really happy with how things are going. My focus is on the pitch.”