‘High level of signing’– Chelsea backed to make late bid for top Arsenal target
Paul Merson has informed Chelsea that signing Arsenal target Alexander Isak before the transfer deadline will guarantee them Champions League football next season and elevate them to ‘the next level’.
Having gone head-to-head with Premier League leaders Liverpool for a large part of the season, Chelsea now find themselves in a major battle to clinch a top-four finish after their performance has declined since mid-December.
Enzo Marecsa’s team has managed to secure victory in just one of their last seven league matches, suffering defeats against Ipswich Town and Fulham during this stretch. As a result, they have fallen to sixth place in the table, one point adrift of the top four and approximately 16 points behind Liverpool.
Big-spending Chelsea have endured a subdued January transfer window but there is still time for the club to bolster Maresca’s squad before the deadline on Monday night.
Chelsea expressed interest in signing Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and remain in the race for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel along with a number of Premier League rivals.
Merson believes the shock signing of Isak from Newcastle United would take Chelsea to ‘the next level’ and all but guarantee the Blues a top-four finish.
Isak, who has scored 18 goals in his last 19 appearances, has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in January and Merson says the Sweden international has the potential to fire the Gunners to Premier League glory.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe is reluctant to lose Isak and St James’ Park bosses have slapped an asking price of more than £100m for the striker.
‘We’re talking about the best centre-forward in the league right now in Alexander Isak,’ Merson told Sportskeeda. ‘His goals and contributions have been mightily impressive.
‘The thing with Isak is that he is consistently good. Some players score 10 goals in 10 games and there would have been two hat-tricks in there.
‘But Isak is someone who scores in every single game and that makes him the best out there.
‘There is no doubt that all the top clubs will want to sign him. With Financial Fair Play (FFP) also coming into the picture, it will be interesting to see if Newcastle can hold on to him.
‘If Arsenal signed Isak, I would be shocked if they don’t end up winning the Premier League. The same goes for Chelsea, it will seal that top four place and take them to the next level.’