January transfer window: Paul Merson on Alexander Isak to Arsenal, Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid and replacement for Rodrigo | Football news
With the January transfer window open, Paul Merson gives his thoughts on whether Arsenal need a striker, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at Liverpool and why Manchester City need a replacement for Rodri.
Despite Gabriel Jesus scoring goals in recent weeks, Sky Sports Newcastle’s Alexander Isak would “take Arsenal to the next level”, pundit says.
Premier League leaders Liverpool also continue to face questions over Alexander-Arnold’s contract – who is interested in Real Madrid – Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Meanwhile, can Manchester City still save their season by bringing in a midfielder to fill the void left by the injured Rodri?
Read Merson’s thoughts on what could happen in the next month’s transfer window…
‘Arsenal should break the bank for Isak’
If I were Arsenal and had the money, I would go and buy [Alexander] Isaac. I’d break the bank for him. He is the best of the best and he is taking Arsenal to the next level.
What I like about Jesus is that he came back to the team and said ‘this time I’m going to get into the box and score goals’. If I want to stay in this team, I have to score goals’ and that’s what he did. The goal against Brentford was a real poaching goal and we rarely see him in the penalty area heading them.
With Kai Havertz also returning, it pushes him back into midfield, but as a striker, Havertz will naturally get into the box and there is an extra body there.
If Jesus can keep doing what he’s doing, they won’t have to [bring in a striker]. But looking at the big picture and next season, if they can get Isak, who I think is the best in the business right now, I think it would be a huge coup for Arsenal.
‘Trent will join Real, but I would be shocked if it happened in January’
£20 million is a cup of tea in football terms. It’s hardly something in the Premier League. You have to keep it. He is a special player, let’s make the most of him by watching him for the next four or five months.
His passing range is second to none, we have to enjoy him. He certainly won’t want to go to Real Madrid at this point.
Liverpool have an incredible chance to win the Premier League. They did it in 2020 when the Kop was not full and there was no one there. Unless you’re a Man Utd or Arsenal fan, who wouldn’t want them to win the championship this season?
I don’t know if anyone has ever rejected Real Madrid. They are just a special club, it is not going down. Liverpool have a much better chance of winning the Champions League this season, but if they do, they have incredible talent.
He will be at Real Madrid [next season]. I see nothing but Real Madrid. When you reduce the contract to the last six months, the amount of money he lost because he didn’t sign a new contract with higher wages.
I don’t see it not happening, but I would be very shocked if it happened in January.
“It is criminal that the contracts of the three best players expire in six months”
I think all three Trent, Van Dijk and Salah are an absolute credit, to be honest.
I think that their contracts are shortened to the remaining six months, as it happens in football at all, it is a crime. It’s truly unheard of to have three of your best players out of contract in six months.
I can’t think of anywhere else where you’ve had three top, top, top players out of contract. If they managed to keep two out of three, they achieved the highest score ever. I thought they were going to lose all three.
If Trent leaves but they can keep Van Dijk and Salah, I think they’ve got the biggest result ever. But for Liverpool to find themselves in that position, as I say, in football, it is criminal.
“Man City must prioritize Rodri’s replacement”
Man City probably have to go into the market in January and bring someone in because at the moment, I don’t think they’re going to challenge for the top four with the squad they have.
Their priority must be the defensive midfielder, the player who holds the midfielder. Rodri was greatly missed. I know people say ‘it’s not just him’, but me personally. I think it’s up to him. So simple.
If you drive a Ferrari or a Rolls Royce and pour diesel, it’s not going anywhere. It doesn’t matter how good you are, how good and great the car is, if you don’t have what makes it inside the engine, it won’t work and that was proven with Rodri.
They are so open, and the thing about Rodri is that he sees the danger. How many times have you seen Man City attack and they are everywhere? That didn’t happen to Rodrigo.
He marked it. Those little five, 10-yard balls through the lines to [Bernardo] Silva, Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, that doesn’t happen now. They don’t get the ball as quickly, and when you don’t get the ball as quickly, everything closes down.
Those players need time and space and if they do, they will absolutely destroy you. But at the moment they don’t realize it because the ball isn’t going through the lines fast enough. Defense is also everywhere, they don’t have that protection.
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