Alexander Isak has achieved greatness at Newcastle United, bestowing upon Tyneside a new form of striker over the past three years and crowning his journey with a triumphant Carabao Cup campaign last year.
He scored in that Wembley final against Liverpool, but it’s the Reds who the Sweden star may well be playing for this time next month, with FSG having seen a £110m offer rejected last week. They are primed to jump back in.
Isak’s goals have helped Newcastle along to Champions League-qualifying campaigns in two of the previous three Premier League terms, and he reached a new level last year, his complete and destructive performances at the front of the pitch leading pundit Jamie Carragher to name him “the best striker in the Premier League.”
Replacing him will be no easy feat, but that is the present task of new technical director Sudarshan Gopaladesikan, who has overseen a first formal offer for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Newcastle pushing for new centre-forward
Though Sesko’s future remains up in the air, Newcastle are engaged in a direct tussle with Manchester United for the Slovenian striker, and both Premier League clubs have placed bids.
There’s a growing sense that the Red Devils are encouraged in their pursuit, which could lead to Eddie Howe being forced into seeking alternative options once again.
It’s been a testing transfer window for the Toon, who have missed out on any number of top targets. Anthony Elanga was signed from Nottingham Forest for £55m, ending an interminable search for a right-sided forward, but more is clearly needed.
Well, according to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Newcastle have engaged in club-to-club talks with Chelsea for striker Nicolas Jackson, who is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge following the latest overload of arrivals there.
Man United are also keen on the Senegalese, but would not move ahead with a deal should they secure Sesko’s signature this month.
Jackson is thought to be valued at £70m by his employers.
Why Newcastle could sign Nicolas Jackson
Chelsea signed Jackson from Villarreal in 2023, and he has since made steady progress on English shores. Sure, he’s ebbed and he’s flowed, but the mobile striker has proven himself in the Premier League across two campaigns, capable of sustaining runs of prolific form.
However, there’s no denying that the 24-year-old needs to be more consistent. Although you wonder whether he would find more stable soil underneath his feet at St. James’ Park, for he would be entrusted with the leading role in Howe’s frontline, flanked by Elanga and the ever-dangeous Anthony Gordon, who may well be promoted to talismanic status if Isak leaves.
Sesko, 22, is a talented number nine, but he’s hardly proven on the grandest stage, and his return of 27 goals and seven assists across 64 Bundesliga matches aligns quite similarly to Jackson’s haul in the Premier League.
24/25 – Chelsea
30 (28)
10
5
23/24 – Chelsea
35 (31)
14
5
22/23 – Villarreal
26 (16)
12
4
21/22 – Villarreal
9 (0)
1
0
Sesko, indeed, scored 13 goals across 33 matches in the Bundesliga last year, and on the basis of the evidence, is there really a concrete chance that he would bring a surpassing level of central striking threat to Howe’s project?
Moreover, Jackson developed his goalscoring potential as a foreigner in La Liga, as was the case with Isak at Real Sociedad. This linearity of progress emphasises Newcastle’s interest, and indeed why they could do a lot worse than sign the Chelsea striker.
Praised for his “special” skills by journalist Rahman Osman, Jackson is also more dynamic across the board, technically and physically. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 18% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive carries, the top 21% for assists and the top 22% for shot-creating actions per 90.
Clearly, he’s got the wide-ranging qualities to make a real difference at Newcastle, should Isak leave. The Sweden striker is, after all, his most statistically comparable player, according to the data-driven website.
Thus, he could become the Tyneside outfit’s ready-made replacement, combining with the squad’s existing wide forwards to maintain a sense of fluency and oneness that Howe has so carefully woven together since replacing Steve Bruce at the helm.
For example, Gordon should stay, but it’s actually Elanga who could combine with Jackson over the coming years to become Howe’s latest Isak-Gordon duo.
Gordon is a high-speed winger, and Elanga considers himself to be “one of the fastest players in the league.” Across two campaigns with Forest, he has posted 11 goals and 21 assists across all competitions, instrumental in securing European football last season.
Though Jacob Murphy has plied such fine work on the right wing, this injection of depth will only be a good thing for a Toon team on the up.
The likes of Elanga and Gordon playing either side of Jackson might just prove to restore a sense of fluency that will seem to many to be lost if Isak does leave for Anfield.
Yes, Jackson could be cooler, more composed in the final third at times, but his overall play and athleticism and energy make a firm comment on his place at the Premier League’s round table of star strikers.
Is Howe not one of the finest managers and tacticians in the game? He will surely fashion a new partnership for the ages in Elanga and Jackson.
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