Journalist lifts lid on Arsenal interest in Alexander Isak and Yves Bissouma

By Andrew Thompson


Published: September 17, 2021 7:56 pm

Last Updated: September 17, 2021 11:07 pm

Signing Alexander Isak “not impossible”

Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette has yet to receive a fresh contract offer from the club, despite assurances from boss Mikel Arteta that the Frenchman’s future is due to be resolved.

With a contract situation that is looking more and more likely to end in the former Olympique Lyonnais standout leaving the club on a free transfer in the summer, news via Football.London’s chief Arsenal reporter Chris Wheatley regarding Swedish international Alexander Isak couldn’t have come at a better moment.

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 21: Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad reacts during the La Liga Santander match between Real Sociedad and Deportivo Alaves at Estadio Anoeta on February 21, 2021 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Speaking on the Latte Firm podcast, Wheatley refused to rule out the possibility that the club could target a move for the Real Sociedad standout and former Borussia Dortmund wunderkind, though he quickly cooled speculation;

“Not impossible – I don’t think anything is impossible when you’re a club like Arsenal. Arsenal certainly do have money to spend. I don’t think it’s one that’s likely to happen anytime soon, but he is one Arteta likes.”

Isak, who signed a contract extension this summer, is coming off a 2020-21 La Liga campaign which saw the now 21-year-old bag 17-goals and add 2-assists in thirty-four league appearances for Los Txuri-Urdin.

Arsenal not actively targeting Brighton’s Yves Bissouma

Much to the chagrin of countless Arsenal fans on social media, the Gunners are not actively in pursuit of Brighton’s instrumental central midfielder Yves Bissouma.

Also mentioned by Wheatley in his recent podcast appearance, the capital outfit are not in the race to bring the Malian international to the Emirates any time soon.

.@ChrisWheatley_ on Bissouma: “I don’t think there was any approach for him this summer. The last formal contact with the player or his representatives was in January. I don’t think Bissouma is one that is likely to happen anytime soon, but it’s the transfer window!” [@LatteFirm]

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) September 17, 2021

There have been calls aplenty from the fanbase for Mikel Arteta and club technical director Edu Gaspar to prioritize Bissouma, who has become a midfield mainstay at the Amex Stadium under Graham Potter while drawing attention from other Premier League giants the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.

A huge jump in club size and the demands that come with it are expected for the former LOSC Lille midfielder, but as it stands, Arsenal are not prepared to go to war for his signature, whether it be in January or the following summer window.

This article was edited by
Conor Laird.

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Premier League table

#	Team	MP	D	P
1	Manchester United	4	8	10
2	Chelsea FC	4	8	10
3	Liverpool FC	4	8	10
4	Everton FC	4	6	10
5	Manchester City	4	10	9
6	Brighton & Hove Albion	4	2	9
7	Tottenham Hotspur	4	0	9
8	West Ham United	4	5	8
9	Leicester City	4	-2	6
10	Brentford FC	4	1	5
11	Crystal Palace	4	0	5
12	Aston Villa	4	-2	4
13	Wolverhampton Wanderers	4	-1	3
14	Southampton FC	4	-2	3
15	Watford FC	4	-4	3
16	Arsenal FC	4	-8	3
17	Leeds United	4	-7	2
18	Burnley FC	4	-5	1
19	Newcastle United	4	-7	1
20	Norwich City	4	-10	0

Player	Team	Goals
Antonio, Michail	West Ham United	4
Fernandes, Bruno	Manchester United	4
Salah, Mohamed	Liverpool FC	3
Lukaku, Romelu	Chelsea FC	3
Gray, Demarai	Everton FC	3
Calvert-Lewin, Dominic	Everton FC	3
Greenwood, Mason	Manchester United	3
Saint-Maximin, Allan	Newcastle United	2
Benrahma, Said	West Ham United	2
Ings, Danny	Aston Villa	2
Vardy, Jamie	Leicester City	2
Fornals, Pablo	West Ham United	2
Torres, Ferran	Manchester City	2
Gallagher, Conor	Crystal Palace	2
Ronaldo, Cristiano	Manchester United	2
Son, Heung Min	Tottenham Hotspur	2
Wilson, Callum	Newcastle United	2
Mane, Sadio	Liverpool FC	2
Maupay, Neal	Brighton & Hove Albion	2
Jota, Diogo	Liverpool FC	2

Player	Team	Red Cards	Yellow Cards
Pogba, Paul	Manchester United	0	3
Cooper, Liam	Leeds United	0	3
Etebo, Oghenekaro	Watford FC	0	3
Doucoure, Abdoulaye	Everton FC	0	2
Fernandes, Bruno	Manchester United	0	2
Richarlison	Everton FC	0	2
Dennis, Emmanuel	Watford FC	0	2
Duffy, Shane	Brighton & Hove Albion	0	2
Norgaard, Christian	Brentford FC	0	2
Mings, Tyrone	Aston Villa	0	2
Rodri	Manchester City	0	2
Rice, Declan	West Ham United	0	2
Struijk, Pascal	Leeds United	1	1
Tanganga, Japhet	Tottenham Hotspur	0	1
Moreno, Rodrigo	Leeds United	0	2
Schar, Fabian	Newcastle United	0	2
Kane, Harry	Tottenham Hotspur	0	2
Stephens, Jack	Southampton FC	0	2
Marcal, Fernando	Wolverhampton Wanderers	0	2
Moura, Lucas	Tottenham Hotspur	0	2

Player	Team	Assists
Pogba, Paul	Manchester United	7
Antonio, Michail	West Ham United	3
Doucoure, Abdoulaye	Everton FC	3
Jesus, Gabriel	Manchester City	3
Salah, Mohamed	Liverpool FC	2
Saint-Maximin, Allan	Newcastle United	2
Benrahma, Said	West Ham United	2
Townsend, Andros	Everton FC	2
Kovacic, Mateo	Chelsea FC	2
Bamford, Patrick	Leeds United	2
James, Reece	Chelsea FC	2
Gross, Pascal	Brighton & Hove Albion	2
Pereira, Ricardo	Leicester City	2
Alexander-Arnold, Trent	Liverpool FC	2
Ings, Danny	Aston Villa	1
Vardy, Jamie	Leicester City	1
Fornals, Pablo	West Ham United	1
Torres, Ferran	Manchester City	1
Gallagher, Conor	Crystal Palace	1
Zaha, Wilfried	Crystal Palace	1