August 15th 2024.
Former Arsenal player Paul Merson believes that both his former club and Chelsea should consider making a big investment in signing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak before the transfer deadline. In an interview, Merson expressed his belief that Isak could be a game-changing signing for both London clubs.
Isak was previously linked with a move away from Newcastle earlier this year, but the club has made it clear that they want to keep hold of the talented forward. After a promising first season, Isak emerged as one of Newcastle's most important players last season, scoring an impressive 21 goals in the Premier League.
Both Arsenal and Chelsea have shown interest in the 24-year-old, and Merson believes that Isak would be a key addition to their teams. In fact, he even goes as far as to say that Isak's arrival at Arsenal could lead them to a Premier League victory, while securing a spot in the Champions League for Chelsea.
With just over two weeks left in the transfer window, there's still a chance for both clubs to make moves for new strikers. While Arsenal had a strong attacking performance last season, they heavily relied on Kai Havertz as Gabriel Jesus had a frustrating season. Merson points out that even though Mikel Arteta had his eye on Benjamin Sesko earlier in the summer, he ended up staying at RB Leipzig.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are also on the lookout for a new striker to provide competition for Nicolas Jackson. They have been linked with Victor Osimhen, but Merson believes that Isak would be the ideal signing for both clubs. He said, "Newcastle have done well to keep Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes, at the moment. If I was Chelsea or Arsenal, I'd be breaking the bank for Isak."
Merson has also enjoyed seeing Arsenal challenge for the Premier League title in the last two seasons, but he believes that their success could be derailed if they face unfortunate injuries. He says, "I know this might be controversial, but I think Arsenal are just a couple of injuries away from being in a battle for the top four."
He also points out that while Arsenal may be Manchester City's closest challengers on paper, injuries to key players like William Saliba, Gabriel, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka could prove to be a major setback. Merson believes that having all their big players fit was crucial for Arsenal's performance last season, but even then, they couldn't catch up to Manchester City.
Merson also stresses the importance of signing a center-forward before the transfer window closes, saying that Arsenal cannot win the Premier League without a proper striker.
Moving on to Chelsea, Merson believes that the team could struggle this season after appointing Enzo Maresca as Mauricio Pochettino's replacement. He says, "Enzo Maresca has to hit the ground running, but I can't see this team being consistent enough." He also mentions their final five wins of the season, but points out that they were also defeated 5-0 by Arsenal not long before that.
For Merson, the benchmark for Chelsea is not just beating smaller teams like Brighton and West Ham, but competing against the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City. He sees Chelsea as more of a cup team at the moment and believes that a top-four finish this season would be a massive achievement for them.
In conclusion, Merson believes that both Arsenal and Chelsea should consider making a big investment in signing Isak, as he could be the missing piece in their teams. He also points out the importance of staying injury-free and believes that Chelsea may struggle under their new manager.
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