Take out Erling Haaland from the equation, and it’s likely most clubs in European football, Arsenal included, would choose to sign Alexander Isak this summer.
The Gunners have had a long-vested interest in the Swede, dating back to before he was even a Newcastle player.
Sadly, after a campaign in which the Toon’s star man bagged 27 goals in 42 games, he looks like he’s staying in the north east.
Asking prices from £150m to £200m have been touted, making this move nigh on impossible for anyone, let alone the Gunners.
Liverpool are reportedly at the table too and if Arne Slot’s men were to prise the forward away from Newcastle, it would be a colossal kick in the teeth for Arsenal.
Still, there are alternatives, and alternatives that share similar traits to the Swedish superstar.
The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new attackers
With moves for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi set for completion in the not-too-distant future, Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta are getting a move on with their summer business.
Still, a new forward continues to elude them amid ongoing talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko.
Arsenal have also been looking at wingers, namely Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace’s playmaking sensation, Eberechi Eze.
Well, what if they could find a player with the ability to play on the flanks and through the middle? That fact is certainly true of Ademola Lookman.
According to Caught Offside, the Gunners are now in active negotiations to sign the Nigerian attacker from Italian outfit Atalanta.
After previous spells in England with Charlton, Everton, and Fulham, Lookman has more than proven himself in Italy and appears to be keen on coming back to the Premier League.
While Arsenal will face competition from Liverpool for his signature, the 27-year-old is said to be valued at around €45m to €50m (£38m – £43m) plus add-ons.
How Ademola Lookman could improve Arsenal
Let’s take you back to the year of 2020 for a moment. Football is being played behind closed doors due to the pandemic and Lookman has just missed one of the worst penalty attempts you will ever see.
A panenka looks great when it comes off, but in this instance, it disgraced and embarrassed a young Lookman.
Since then, the attacker has become “one of the best prospects in Europe”, in the words of former Man City defender-turned pundit Nedum Onuoha.
Why? Well, who could forget the Lookman final, a game where Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024 courtesy of the Nigeria international who scored a stunning hat-trick to seal a 3-0 win over Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
It was genuinely one of the best individual performances you will see on a big stage and he’s not slowed down since that moment.
During the 2023/24 campaign, Lookman scored 17 goals and supplied ten assists in all competitions. In 2024/25, he was even better in front of goal, netting 20 and registering seven assists.
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in Serie A, his rate of productivity in the final third is captivating, but the player’s versatility is also an enormous plus point. Capable of playing on the flanks, as a striker or behind the leading no.9, that versatile nature should be a big box tick for Arteta.
Such an ability to play in a plethora of positions has led data-led website FBRef to proclaim that Bukayo Saka is the third-most similar winger in Europe to Lookman, while Isak is the third-most similar striker. Not bad indeed. But, what makes them alike? We’ve crunched the numbers.
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Lookman vs Isak & Saka: 2024/25 league |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90 mins) |
Lookman |
Isak |
Saka |
|
Goals |
0.60 |
0.75 |
0.31 |
|
Assists |
0.20 |
0.20 |
0.52 |
|
Shots |
3.24 |
3.10 |
3.44 |
|
Key passes |
2.44 |
1.34 |
3.02 |
|
Progressive passes |
2.98 |
2.88 |
3.65 |
|
Shot-creating actions |
5.41 |
3.01 |
6.09 |
|
Succesful take-ons |
1.48 |
1.37 |
2.14 |
|
Progressive carries |
5.68 |
2.71 |
5.00 |
|
Stats via FBRef. |
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Blessed with pace, fleet-footedness and low centre of gravity, Lookman possesses a very similar style on the flanks to Saka and his ability to dart in behind and run the channels can draw comparisons to Isak.
That’s certainly seen in the numbers, where the former Fulham man combines the best of both players here.
He’s more potent than Saka in front of goal per 90 minutes but he creates a similar number of key passes. He’s also very progressive with his actions, only slightly falling behind Arsenal’s number 7 for progressive passes but actually ranking higher for progressive carries.
Like Isak, he completes a similar number of take-ons and they’re almost equal for shots taken as well.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
So, if Arsenal are not willing to break the bank to sign someone like Sesko or Gyokeres this summer, Lookman could be the next best thing.
It’s a rare opportunity to find someone who combines the best attributes of two of the best players in the Premier League.
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