Alexander Isak to Arsenal early transfer verdict - £80m deal, Newcastle demand, Gabriel Jesus swap
Arsenal may well enter the transfer market for a striker in January. The Gunners looked at signing a frontman in the summer, but it was not until deadline day that they brought in Raheem Sterling on loan from Chelsea.
The Gunners are the joint third highest scorers in the Premier League so far this season, with 28 goals in 14 matches, averaging two per game. But they do not hav anyone in the top ten goalscorers' list, with Kai Havertz the top scorer on five.
The transfer plan in the summer was not to go for an out-and-out striker, with the club feeling like Havertz and Gabriel Jesus could carry the burden. Jesus has yet to get off the mark this season and if there was one area the Gunners would look to improve in January, you would think it would be up top.
READ MORE: Fulham vs Arsenal and Tottenham vs Chelsea Storm Darragh postponement latest amid Man Utd statement
READ MORE: Arsenal risk losing two key players for Christmas fixtures as new suspension worry emerges
Viktor Gyokeres has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, while there is a Premier League-ready striker who has also been well linked in Alexander Isak.
Transfers between Premier League clubs in January are unlikely, particularly for players of Isak's calibre, but could and should Arsenal make a move in the winter window? We asked our football.london writers to have their say.
Lee Wilmot
Isak will cost a hell of a lot of money to sign from Newcastle, that is for certain. He was going to be expensive in the summer, so just think what price tag the Magpies will put on him to lose him mid-season.
But you would imagine he would be worth every penny. A striker of his calibre could be the difference between Arsenal chasing down Liverpool and winning the Premier League title and not.
It's unlikely Arsenal will splash the cash in the January transfer market to that extent - they may well have to check their finances to ensure they continue to comply with Financial Fair Play and Profit and Sustainability Rules. But that's not to say they shouldn't splash the cash.
Half a season with Isak at Arsenal would set them up nicely for next year too and give the Gunners the platform to really go and claim the Premier League title. Show Newcastle the money, or could they even offer Gabriel Jesus in a swap deal to sweeten things?
Kaya Kaynak
A lot of this depends on the price for me. If Newcastle demand something north of £70million to 80million then I think Arsenal would be best advised to look elsewhere.
Isak is a superb player don't get me wrong. But his injury record means that he misses large chunks of the season. Arsenal already have a striker like that. They don't need another. It's worth remembering that his form hasn't been quite as scintillating as it was last year either.
That said though, I still think Isak is a brilliant player. The fact that he could come in and play in any of the forward positions would make him a real asset. He could play instead of Kai Havertz or with him to make a deadly front line.
He is relatively clinical too which is something Arsenal lack in large parts of their squad. The Gunners scored the most goals in their Premier League history last season. Isak could take them even a level beyond that!
Tom Canton
I think that to get the best players, particularly in the centre-forward position, with the idea that they would be the main man for the foreseeable future at a side that is aiming for the title it will cost a huge sum. January is rarely a place where you see these types of figures spent but Arsenal have shown in the past, with a £70million move for Moises Caicedo, that they are indeed willing to push the boat out for the right player.
For me, Alexander Isak is one of only two strikers who I feel could indeed be worth those mega sums of money. The Swede continues to score in big games, with one against Arsenal and Liverpool to help Newcastle take four points from the two matches.
His injury record is of course the main concern for me. With Kai Havertz though, Arsenal have plenty of depth and quality to deal with a potential absence.
Should Arsenal move for him this winter? Well, if it is possible I think it is a no-brainer, the reality is though perhaps prohibitive to this and it would be a real shock for it to materialise.