Alan Shearer says Arsenal target is being compared to Thierry Henry by coaches
Newcastle's coaching staff compare star striker Alexander Isak to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, according to Alan Shearer.
It's believed the Gunners are interested in signing Isak, 24, to solve their striker dilemma. Eddie Nketiah (five goals), Kai Havertz (four) and Gabriel Jesus (three) have all struggled to score in the Premier League this season, causing Arsenal to slip down the table.
Mikel Arteta's stuttering side are now in fourth - five points behind leaders Liverpool - after a run of three Premier League games without a win. They were also dumped out of the FA Cup at home by Jurgen Klopp's table toppers in their most recent outing.
Many Arsenal fans would love to see Arteta sign a new striker in January, but money is tight. They've been linked with the likes Ivan Toney, Dominic Solanke, Victor Osimhen and Borja Mayoral in recent weeks, with Isak also said to be on their transfer shortlist.
The Sweden international, 24, has impressed in the Premier League since completing a £60million switch from Real Sociedad to Newcastle in August 2022. Injuries have hampered his progress, but he's still scored 19 goals in 37 Premier League games.
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"I love Isak, not just because of who he plays for or the position he plays in, or his excellent record of 23 goals in 36 starts in all competitions, but because of how he does it," Shearer, who is Newcastle's record scorer, wrote in The Athletic.
"As a kid... he was inevitably compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another Swedish legend, but the comparison they make within Newcastle’s coaching staff is to Thierry Henry. You can see it in that blistering pace, the languid grace, that gorgeous, fluid movement."
If he stays fit, Isak could complete the most prolific season of his career to date. He's already scored 13 goals in all competitions for Newcastle and his form has been one of the few positives from a difficult campaign for Eddie Howe's side.
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The Magpies have been blighted by injuries. They have been knocked out of Europe and the Carabao Cup, with the team ninth in the Premier League table. A 3-0 victory against bitter rivals Sunderland in the FA Cup last time out offered Howe some solace.
Newcastle are technically one of the richest sides in the world, as they are owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund - the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Yet they are unable to splash the cash due to the Premier League's Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
That could force Newcastle to sell one of their big stars this month. Howe said on Friday: "I can’t offer any assurance on that (not selling players) regardless of our FFP situation. You can never tell what will happen in football. Every Premier League club will sell players.
" Manchester City have sold some very good players. Their income is the highest of any club. That is the landscape for everyone. We reluctantly sold Allan Saint-Maximin."
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