Barcelona continue to focus on their Robert Lewandowski succession plans, with reports again naming Alexander Isak as the frontrunner transfer goal.
Lewandowski, now 36, shows no signs of slowing down in front of goal and continues to boast an incredible record of form. He has scored 16 goals in 18 La Liga appearances this season and added nine more in other competitions, taking his tally for the season to 25.
That leaves Lewandowski just one figure shy of the tally he scored for Barcelona last season, which was his worst goalscoring season since his debut campaign at Bayern Munich in 2014/15. – 25 again a number he achieved even then.
Isak hasn’t been as prolific as Lewandowski – although his start to the season was derailed by a toe injury – but he’s been in terrific form of late Newcastlescoring in the last seven Premier League matches and on average score a goal every 113 minutes played. He also scored in the Magpies’ 2-0 win against Arsenal in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo note that Isak, who cost Newcastle a club-record £63m when he joined from Real Sociedad in 2022, is the leading candidate to replace Lewandowski and Barcelona know the Pole will inevitably start to slow down.
Sporting CP goal machine Viktor Gyokeres has also been named as a key Barcelona target, although he, like Isak, is likely to cost Barcelona an incredible amount of money – something the Catalan giants currently lack as they continue to manage a financial crisis.
Barcelona’His desire to sign a cutting-capable left wing was also highlighted, citing that recent interest in Manchester United’s Marcus Rashfordwho looks set to leave Old Trafford before the end of the January transfer window.
Nico Williams is Barcelona’s dream signing in that position – a bid to sign the Spaniard from Athletic Club failed to materialize last summer – while Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao are also front and center on the club’s transfer radar.
Newcastle, understandably, do not want to sell Isak and are hoping to tie down the Swedish international on new and improved terms. Their chances of keeping him will be boosted by qualifying for next season Champions League – Eddie Howe’s team is currently in fifth place Premier League table after stringing together five consecutive victories.
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