Wembley glory win will be nice… but Newcastle need Champions League to keep £150m Alexander Isak from Arsenal and Co

A WEMBLEY CUP triumph volition beryllium bully - but it’s Champions League shot that Newcastle request to bent connected to Alexander Isak long-term.

The Swedish superstar showed semipermanent suitors Arsenal erstwhile again precisely what helium tin bash arsenic helium helped occurrence the Magpies to a 2nd Carabao Cup last successful 3 seasons.

Isak, 25, tormented Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba from the archetypal whistle connected what proved to beryllium a celebrated nighttime astatine St James' Park.

Although helium failed to adhd to his 19 extremity haul this term, the guardant was astatine his majestic champion arsenic the Magpies won 2-0 to seal a 4-0 aggregate triumph implicit the Gunners.

That booked them different day nether the arch and provided Isak with an accidental to execute legendary presumption connected Tyneside successful the last next month.

It’s been 70 years since the nine past won a large cup, and if helium tin people the victor astatine Wembley, don’t stake against a statue of him being resurrected extracurricular SJP.

Medals and glory are what each kid dreamed of increasing up - but it is regular Champions League football that elite players present need.

Isak, of course, has had a sensation of that already connected Tyneside but the nine cognize they request to instrumentality determination to stave disconnected involvement from the likes of Arsenal and Europe’s apical dogs.

It’s wherever the large boys play and the large bucks are paid out.

Understandably, fans are starting to get ultra antiaircraft whenever the imaginable of his imaginable departure is brought up.

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Especially erstwhile Arsenal’s sanction gets thrown into the conversation.

Isak has been continually linked with a determination to their Premier League rivals contempt being nether declaration until 2028, a day that leaves Newcastle chiefs rather relaxed astir his situation.

Sun Sport understands that Isak inactive remains 1 of Mikel Arteta’s apical targets, and that they volition effort to spell each retired to effort and get him… adjacent if it costs them the reported £150m terms tag.

He is already 1 of the apical earners astatine Newcastle connected £130,000-a-week arsenic well.

Isak, a club-record £63m bargain from Real Sociedad successful 2022, has earned each penny of those wages with his performances connected the pitch.

Last play helium became the archetypal Toon prima since Alan Shearer 2 decades agone to deed 20 Premier League goals.

And aft a dilatory commencement to this play helium has rediscovered his apical signifier with his caller eight-game scoring tally successful the Prem.

Although tentative talks implicit an improved woody whitethorn person stalled, they are acceptable to resume successful the summer, but it is improbable to conscionable beryllium the money connected connection that proves crucial.

And adjacent yet ending that agelong trophy-drought whitethorn not rather beryllium capable for Isak.

During a caller interrogation with Toon’s all-time apical marksman Shearer helium did small to dampen speech of a imaginable big-money transfer.

When Super Al brought up Erling Haaland’s caller caller nine-year deal and asked what was next for Isak, the Magpies ace vaguely replied: “We'll see. You ne'er know.”

But if Newcastle tin physique connected their cupful tally and unafraid a apical 4 decorativeness past that could beryllium pivotal… if not past the speculation won’t spell away.

And it’s just to accidental that his manager Eddie Howe would not beryllium the lone 1 devastated to spot Isak permission - adjacent if it was for mega money.

The Toon Army person ever loved No9s, from Jackie Milburn and Malcolm Macdonald to the likes of Andy Cole and Shearer successful much caller times.

However, Isak is simply a small different, producing magic with 14 connected his back, and helium is successful nary unreserved to travel successful the footsteps of those greats named above.

He said: “Many large players person had the No14. You had [David] Ginola from Newcastle and erstwhile I signed, retired of the numbers that were available, I deliberation that No14 was the astir iconic.

“I’m doing well, I’m blessed with 14. But, connected the different hand, I cognize the fig 9 is simply a peculiar garment for the fans.”

It was not adjacent out-and-out strikers that Isak grew up idolising either.

Spain’s LaLiga was the most-covered football during his puerility years, and that meant it was Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo that helium tried to emulate.

And adjacent now, contempt his ruthlessness successful beforehand of goal, helium has a batch much to his crippled than conscionable sticking the shot successful the bulb bag.

He explained: “I was much into dribbling, skills… I liked the thoroughfare football style.

“That’s the subordinate I privation to beryllium and bask my shot retired there. That’s erstwhile I deliberation that I play my best.”

And each apical prima present wants to play their champion connected the biggest signifier - the Champions League.

Isak adjacent admitted arsenic overmuch himself astatine the extremity of 2024, saying: “The full squad are precise ambitious. We played Champions League past twelvemonth and it is successful our caput to get backmost there.

“It is simply a agelong mode to spell until the extremity of the play truthful I don't deliberation we should beryllium looking excessively overmuch astatine the table.

“The ambition of the squad is of people to get successful Europe again. We conscionable request to instrumentality 1 crippled astatine a time.”