(Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Alexander Isak has chance to impress Manchester United
February 11, 2021
Dan Coombs
https://www.unitedinfocus.com/news/alex ... er-united/
Manchester United will come up against Real Sociedad next week in the Europa League.
Adnan Januzaj is one of Sociedad’s notable threats, as is top scorer Mikel Oyarzabal. Another is current player of the month Alexander Isak.
Isak is now 22. He is a player who has been on the radar of top clubs around Europe for five years now.
The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... nder-isak/ reported back in 2016 how Manchester United were one of dozens of clubs around Europe who were scouting him after he impressed back in Sweden with AIK.
(Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
In 2017 Isak signed with Borussia Dortmund, turning down Real Madrid, according to Aftonbladet. https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/ ... r-hans-val
The football world seemed to be at his feet, with Isak earning an international debut at just 17.
Isak’s stint in Germany did not go as planned. He failed to earn a spot in Dortmund’s first team and was sent on loan to Willem II in Holland.
This stint proved valuable to Isak as he scored 13 goals in 16 games, earning a permanent move to Real Sociedad in 2019 for just £6.4 million [BBC]. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51720624
Rejuvenated in Spain
Isak will be a threat across both legs for United. He has scored three goals in his last two games and four in his last four, plus one assist.
In total this season he has eight goals, with five of them coming already in 2021.
He is well on his way to surpassing last season’s steady tally of nine goals from his debut campaign in La Liga.
What makes Isak dangerous is his ability to take players on. He completed three dribbles in Sociedad’s win over Cadiz, a performance in which he scored twice.
At 6ft 4″ he is also strong in the air and good at holding the ball up. Adept with the ball at his feet and possessing strength, Isak is an awkward player for defenders to face.
What makes him an interesting player is that he is only 21-years-old still. There is a lot of potential still to come from him, and the matches with Manchester United could be the biggest games of his career to date.
A chance for Isak to impress
One year ago in February 2020, United chief scout Marcel Bout was pictured watching Sociedad in action.
El Diario Vasco https://real-sociedad.diariovasco.com/e ... bT92s9feUc pictured Bout and claimed he was there to watch Isak, along with Willian Jose, who recently signed with Wolves. The MEN https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... d-17809278 also reported on this.
Villarreal CF v Real Sociedad - La Liga Santander
(Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Whether Isak is currently on United’s radar or not, he has a chance to get back into our plans over the next fortnight when he plays two legs against us in the Europa League clashes.
He has a £60 million release clause in his contract, BBC Sport report. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51720624 Dortmund can sign him for half that fee due to a buy-back clause, but he is adamant he won’t return, telling Sportbladet: https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/ ... in-framtid
United’s long-term striker option remains unclear. Anthony Martial has plenty of questions hanging over him, while Edinson Cavani is a short-term fix.I have no thoughts at all, of going back there.
Isak is a talented player who at 21 still has a big future ahead. His upcoming games against United could be pivotal for his career.
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Haaland & Isak billed as Suarez replacements for Barcelona as Luis Garcia reflects on ‘big loss’
Goal
https://www.goal.com/en/news/haaland-is ... h1gd717j1b
Erling Haaland Dortmund 2020-21
Getty Images
The former Blaugrana midfielder believes another striker is needed at Camp Nou, with various options out there to be explored
Barcelona need to be adding another proven number nine to their ranks following the “big loss” of Luis Suarez, says Luis Garcia, with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Real Sociedad star Alexander Isak billed as potential options to be explored.
The Blaugrana opted to part with Suarez in the wake of Ronald Koeman’s appointment as coach, with the Liga giants allowing a man who plundered 198 goals during his time at Camp Nou to link up with domestic rivals Atletico Madrid – where he has thrived.
Garcia feels the acquisition of another predatory finisher needs to become a top transfer priority for Barca, but it remains to be seen who they will target if funds are made available during a testing period for the club financially.
What has been said?
former Barca midfielder Garcia told Goal.The departure of Suarez was a big loss. I think Barcelona were in a bit of a mess with the chairman, the new coach arriving and the situation with Lionel Messi,
Can Barcelona afford to spend on a striker?I think the best way for Suarez was to find a way out and not to fight Barcelona. He did well there and of course Atletico Madrid were there waiting for him. Diego Costa was injured and they saw the chance to bring in Suarez.
And look at where he is now, getting sharper every weekend and top scorer of La Liga. He is showing how much of a killer he is inside the area.
I think it was a big blow for Barcelona as it’s difficult to find a centre-forward like him, especially with the pandemic and a lack of money. We saw it in the January transfer market and how there were not many big moves. And it is no different for Barcelona.
Of course, there are a few strikers out there. We’ve got Haaland on top, a striker who is a different number nine to what Barcelona are used to. They have been playing Antoine Griezmann as a number nine and also Messi and Martin Braithwaite. But these are not forwards who are built for this kind of Barcelona.
I think Ronald Koeman is doing a fantastic job and trying to adapt new players and the system, we need to give him time. We have seen some very good games in the past few weeks, with a fantastic [Ousmane] Dembele and Pedri, who has been an amazing signing.
Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad is another striker who I really like to watch. He’s a young talent, tall, has quality on the ball.
So there are a few strikers who I would like to see at Barcelona. But again, it will be very different without having money to spend, so we will have to wait and see.
The latest publication of the club’s annual accounts showed that the Liga heavyweights are now €1.2 billion (£1.1bn/$1.5bn) in debt.
That is making it difficult to draw up any recruitment plans, with an ambitious outfit having to rein in their spending as they target more cut-price options in future markets.
The bigger picture
Barca also have the issue of Messi’s future to contend with, as the six-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to run his contract down towards free agency.
Seeing him walk away for nothing, as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain circle, would do little to aid the Blaugrana’s cause on economic and sporting levels – as finding a suitable replacement for the mercurial Argentine would be virtually impossible.
For now, Koeman and co are looking to bring the best out of those currently at their disposal, with Barca still in the hunt for La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League honours despite finding the going a little tough at times in 2020-21.
