Alexander Isak responds to Arsenal transfer rumours amid uncertainty with Newcastle

Alexander Isak has been linked with Arsenal in the past, and now there’s fresh talk of a move from St James’ Park to the Emirates Stadium amid questions over his Newcastle future.

Newcastle United’s striker Alexander Isak has said he isn’t concerned by recent links to Arsenal. The Swedish international, who was previously linked with Arsenal during his time at Real Sociedad, joined Newcastle in a record-breaking move in August 2022.

Now, fresh rumors have surfaced, reportedly due to stalled contract negotiations with Newcastle. Isak’s original contract was a six-year deal, and despite some injury setbacks, he has proven valuable to the team.

He has scored 35 goals in 61 Premier League appearances, with 21 of those goals scored last season, putting him behind only Erling Haaland and Cole Palmer. Although Isak has reportedly been in contract discussions for months, no agreement has been reached.

The 25-year-old, currently on international duty with Sweden, addressed questions about his future. “Throughout my career, I have never talked about or really commented on the move rumours during the season,” he said to Fotboll Skanalen . “There have been many such years where it has been talked about. It doesn’t affect me.”

He emphasized his commitment to Newcastle, saying, “I am fully focused on my task there and that we will have a fantastic season. There are still great opportunities for that. I have no thoughts about anything else.”

When asked about possible frustrations his representatives might feel toward Newcastle, he didn’t reveal much. “The only thing I can say is that a lot of information and rumours often come out. Much of what I read is not true. So that’s about all I can say about the whole thing.”

In October, reports speculate that contract talks between Isak and Newcastle had stalled.  Suggesting that neither side felt an immediate extension was necessary, as over three years remain on his contract.

Isak’s desire to play in the Champions League was also cited. However, since these reports, Isak scored a winning goal for Newcastle against Arsenal on November 2. This marked his third league goal of the season.

He later scored again and provided an assist in a victory over Nottingham Forest. This placed Newcastle just one point away from the top four at the international break.

Manager Eddie Howe praised Isak’s recent contributions, saying, “We need our attacking players to contribute goals and Alex [Isak] has done that in the past few weeks with massive moments.”

Howe also highlighted other key players like Joelinton and Harvey Barnes. “Harvey Barnes does what he does. He’s an outstanding player… I’m really pleased he got that goal – I thought it was a fantastic finish,” Howe added