Alexander Isak declared that he will stay at Newcastle United in a blow to rival clubs who were trying to trouble the Swedish international in the hope that he would push to leave this summer.
Isak scored 25 goals and two assists in his second season on Tyneside and gained a reputation as one of the Premier League’s deadliest strikers.
That fueled talk of bids coming in for the 24-year-old, with Barcelona among those said to have shown interest.
Telegraph Sport has been repeatedly told by senior Newcastle sources that Isak is not for sale at any price with the manager Eddie Howe intending build the team around the Swedish international in the coming years.
And if the clubs expected the player to have a different vision about his future, he started talking about his departure.
When asked about his future by the Swedish channel Fotbollskanalen, Isak highlighted that he is happy where he is and does not want to leave.
“I’m very, very happy in Newcastle,” he said. “I had the best season of my career. You can’t underestimate that. I love everything about the club, the fans, the city.”
“I don’t really think about moving or anything like that. I’m having a lot of fun and I’m very happy with my life.”
Arsenal have been consistently linked with a move for Isak, but Telegraph Sport understands they have prioritized other targets this summer.
As reported by Telegraph Sport last month, Arsenal have serious interest on Benjamin Sesko, from RB Leipzig – and are considered within the game as the favorites for his signature, if they choose to formalize this interest. Leipzig hope to keep the 21-year-old, who has many admirers beyond Arsenal.
Sesko’s release clause is estimated to be around £55 million and it remains to be seen whether Arsenal will decide to trigger that clause or focus on other positions first, with a new defender and midfielder also on their wish list. They are set to buy David Raya from Brentford in a permanent deal worth around £30m this summer.
There have been claims that Newcastle would need to sell one of their big stars this summer to comply with Premier League profit and sustainability rules, but Telegraph Sport understands the club plans to sell some of its older players before the start of next season. by Isak and Brazilian international Bruno Guimarães. And Isak revealed that no one at Newcastle suggested they needed to sell him.
“It’s not something I speculate about,” he said. “Within the team or the club, there was no talk or drama around it. I didn’t receive any information from the club that they would have to sell me.”
Isak’s 21 league goals meant he became the first Swedish player to score more than 20 goals in a Premier League season, surpassing Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 17 for Manchester United in the 2016-17 season.
Isak added: “It’s been good, especially in the second part of the season. I had some hiccups and injuries in the first half. It was a little difficult to find the flow, but over the last few months I’ve been playing regularly and getting continuity. This was also evident in the presentations,” he added.
“It’s great to have a record in Swedish football. And I’m not thinking about Zlatan, but I’m very satisfied with my season. I scored a lot of goals in a league like the Premier League. I mainly think about my own performance and I’m very happy with that.”
