Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes Alexander Isak has already outgrown Arsenal - insisting the forward should aim 'bigger and better' than the Gunners. Isak, 25, has established himself as one of the deadliest forwards in the world since signing for Newcastle from Real Sociedad in August 2022.

Since then, Isak has scored 54 goals in 95 games for the Magpies, with 17 of those coming this season as Newcastle look to secure Champions League qualification. Such form, though, has resulted in the Sweden international being linked with a move away from St James' Park, especially as talks over a contract renewal have stalled.

Liverpool and Arsenal have been two of the teams most prominently linked with a move for Isak, though Carragher believes the 25-year-old has outgrown a move to the Emirates Stadium. Speaking on the latest of the Overlap, Carragher was asked by former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes if Isak should aim higher than Arsenal.

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Kicking things off, Scholes said: "Everyone loves him but I don’t see a possibility of him going to Arsenal. He needs to go bigger and better.

"We’re talking about Real Madrid here, Liverpool need a centre forward. I think Arsenal would be an option but I think they would be down the list of options.

"I don’t mean that in a bad way but he’s at Newcastle, a really good team, a brilliant team, but they’re not going to win league titles, that’s the next stage of his career.

"I think it would be a risk to go to Arsenal and do the same thing. Liverpool have got a much better chance, Man City and Real Madrid the same.

"I think his sights should be higher than Arsenal. He is a player Man United would be looking at but in the position we’re in now… it’s not going to happen."

Carragher then said: "Yeah. I agree he takes Arsenal to another level, he would be brilliant and he could possibly get you over the line. "But I just think there’s bigger and better in him."

In October, Eddie Howe described contract talks with Isak as a "complex situation" as the club worked to adhere to the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules.

"That's a slightly more complex situation," said Howe. "Regarding contracts, I'm not involved in those discussions day to day. With Alex, he's got a long contract anyway at the football club and we have to be really careful with our spending due to profit and sustainability rules (PSR). It's not a clear-cut situation."

Isak is under contract at St James' Park until 2028.