Alexander Isak: Newcastle’s Swedish Sweetheart Tearing up the Premier League

When Newcastle United splashed out £60 million on Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak in the summer transfer window of 2022, eyebrows were raised across European football. The club took a calculated risk on the Swede and flexed their muscles in the European market by prying away one of the most coveted forwards in world football. Most inside the Newcastle hierarchy accepted that the move was risky, but their diligence has since paid off, and Isak is passing the outside critics' test with flying colours.

Manager Eddie Howe has described Isak as having "everything a centre-forward needs", but not much has really changed since Isak initially broke onto the scene for AIK in Stockholm. Despite a lack of prolific goalscoring, the 23-year-old had previously been dubbed the "new Zlatan Ibrahimovic". Such comparisons are simply due to Isak's imposing stature and aerial threat, not to mention the powerful gallop he seems to possess over long distances.

Since the forward's move to Sociedad from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, he has often cut a frustrated figure in front of goal. In fact, Isak's struggles to find the back of the net on a consistent basis were exhibited as recently as last season, with just six goals in 32 La Liga appearances for the club. He has since notched eight Premier League goals for Newcastle in 14 appearances, despite a four-month injury layoff, a return that has caused the Newcastle board to feel justified after such an expensive outlay on a relatively unproven young striker.

But, after a pair of exceptional performances and thus being awarded two man-of-the-match awards, the Swede is starting to show the football world what he is all about. Isak showcased his incredible composure in front of goal on April 5 when he lifted the ball calmly over a despairing Lukasz Fabianski in the impressive 5-1 win at West Ham, not to mention his sweeping finish against Brentford as recently as last Saturday. Such performances have led to comparisons with a young Thierry Henry and among the Newcastle coaching staff, with Eddie Howe's backroom collective feeling incredibly optimistic about what the club could achieve with their new attacking dynamo.