Arsenal may regret losing “outrageous” goal machine

In spite of injuries, dodgy decisions, and inconsistent form, Arsenal have managed to keep within touching distance of Liverpool in the Premier League and finished third in the league phase of the Champions League.

However, any positive sentiments that were starting to coalesce around the team following their emphatic 5-1 demolition of Manchester City on the weekend were utterly annihilated by the 2-0 loss to Newcastle United last night.

Mikel Arteta’s side went into the second leg knowing that, due to their 2-0 defeat in the first, progression to the final was an unlikely outcome, but there was hope, or even expectation, among fans that the team would at least fight tooth and nail to pull themselves through.

Instead, the Gunners, who were clearly overawed by the hostile atmosphere, wasted their early chances and were put to the sword by Eddie Howe’s full-throttle Magpies.

Worse yet, a player the North Londoners have courted but passed up on in the past, Alexander Isak, was once again sensational, and if missing out on his services wasn’t bad enough, it looks like Arsenal might have lost their own version of the Swede last year.

Arsenal’s links to Isak

So, the links between Arsenal and Isak started all the way back in 2021, when the former Borussia Dortmund star was playing in La Liga for Basque outfit Real Sociedad.

However, according to a report from The Athletic in early 2022, the Gunners opted against signing the then-22-year-old, as they deemed his release clause too dear, which was around £75m at the time.

Unfortunately, with the North Londoners out of the picture, Newcastle swooped in and signed the Solna-born dynamo in the summer of 2022, and since then, he has gone from strength to strength in the northeast.

Since making the move, the unstoppable forward has racked up a sensational haul of 54 goals and nine assists in just 94 appearances for the Toon, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.49 games.

Moreover, the 50-capped international has scored two goals and been on the winning side three times in just five matches against the North Londoners, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him add to that goal tally when the clubs meet at the Emirates later this season.

In all, Isak is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world at the moment, and Arsenal will be kicking themselves that they did not sign him when they could’ve, and worse yet, they may have lost their own version of the forward last year.

Arsenal’s own Isak

While Arsenal’s attack has been lacklustre this season, it has to be said that when Bukayo Saka is fit, and the likes of Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard, and Kai Havertz are in form, the team can be an incredibly potent force.

You only have to look at last season to see that, as while they eventually finished second, the Gunners racked up an impressive tally of 91 goals, which was only bettered by City.

However, the club lacks a clinical centre-forward in the mould of Isak, and to make matters worse, they lost a youngster who could have been their version of him in Chidozie Obi-Martin, who joined Manchester United last year, despite the club’s best efforts.

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we are not saying the 17-year-old could have come into the side this season and matched the former Sociedad star’s output or performances, but the signs were certainly there.

For example, during his time in the academy, the young Dane was a lean, mean-scoring machine.

In just 24 appearances last season, the “outrageous” prospect, as dubbed by Hale End expert Jeorge Bird, scored a mammoth 32 goals and provided three assists for good measure, which comes out to a frankly ridiculous average of 1.45 goal involvements every single game.

On top of sharing an eye for goal with the Newcastle star and being a fellow Scandinavian, the former Hale Ender is also an imposing figure, standing at 6 foot 2, and given his age, he’s more than likely set to get even taller.

Unfortunately for Arteta and Co, he seems to have carried his good form over to United as well, as in ten appearances, he’s already scored nine goals and provided one assist.

Ultimately, while Arsenal tried to keep a hold of Obi Martin last year, it feels like they may regret losing him in the same way they must regret not signing Isak in 2022.