Ian Wright believes a £6 million-a-year star could reject Arsenal in the summer despite Mikel Arteta desperately wanting to sign him.
Arsenal transfer news
As the Premier League title looks to be slowly slipping away from the Gunners, focus may soon start turning towards their summer plans, as they try to bridge the gap from second place to first next year.
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One area of the pitch that Arteta wants to strengthen in the summer is at left-back, as Kieran Tierney appears set to join Celtic on a free transfer come the end of the season, while there is uncertainty surrounding the future of Oleksandr Zinchenko after he was close to leaving in January.
According to reports from Italy, Arsenal are interested in signing Club Brugge left-back Maxim De Cuyper. It is claimed that the Gunners are going to hold talks with the player’s agents “shortly”.
But while a left-back might be on their agenda, it is a new centre-forward that must be the top priority for Arteta and everyone involved at the club. Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak appears to be a top target for the Gunners, but it has now emerged that Arsenal have also joined the race to sign Samu Aghehowa from FC Porto.
The forward is said to be valued at £42 million, and there are several Premier League teams interested in a possible deal.
Wright says Isak may reject Arsenal to sign for Liverpool
Isak is still said to be the Gunners’ top target, but Ian Wright believes Arsenal could miss out on signing Isak to Liverpool this summer, despite Arteta being desperately keen on signing him.
Isak, who earns £6 million a year at St. James’ Park, is the player the Gunners boss believes is the missing link to take them to the next level, and it’s been reported that a formal bid is expected in the summer.
But Wright, when speaking to Stick to Football (relayed by TBR Football), thinks Isak is more likely to end up at Liverpool in the summer than Arsenal, as Arne Slot looks to build his own team.
“Let’s say Arsenal and Liverpool are both in the market for a striker, and I know this will upset Liverpool fans, but do you think it is realistic that another Premier League side could sign Isak?” Wright was asked.
Wright responded: “I mean, with what he’s done now and how he is, if I had the money, I’d buy him for £120m. He’d probably go to Liverpool. I like to think that Arteta could convince him, but if we’re talking about Slot and the fact that Slot doesn’t have his own team, that seems like it may be a more attractive proposition.”