Where will Isak and Delap be playing next season?

As the season draws to an end, the needs of each club for next season comes into sharp focus. And so the inevitable transfer speculation begins. Rumors already swirling over the internet include Manchester United’s interest in Wolves star Matheus Cunha, as well as looking at Portuguese goalkeeper Diego Costa (a position for which they need an obvious upgrade).

But the biggest speculation centers on the fate of two strikers, Alexander Isak of Newcastle and Liam Delap of Ipswich. It’s a position that many of the big clubs are desperate to fill. Liverpool need a Darwin Nunez upgrade; Rasmus Højilund has not worked out at Manchester United; Chelsea are relying on the somewhat erratic talents of Nicolas Jackson; and “Arsenal need a striker” has been a cliché in the EPL for many seasons.

The Delap situation is simple. If Ipswich are relegated (a certainty) he has a release clause that makes him available for $40 million, a relative snip for a player who has impressed in a struggling outfit. Delap has 12 goals and 2 assists in 31 outings this season and at 22 years old there’s obviously room for improvement, with the potential for a huge return on investment at that price.

But it’s still something of a gamble for a player who's only had one full season in the EPL. Every year there’s usually a young striker who grabs the headlines and sparks fevered transfer speculation. Last year it was Brighton’s prodigy Evan Ferguson at Brighton…who is currently struggling on loan at West Ham. When you buy a player who is not the finished article, there’s always a risk that they simply won’t fulfill their potential. 

For that reason, Manchester United, Chelsea or Newcastle are seen as the most likely destinations for Delap – with the latter two most attractive because of the likelihood of Champions League Football (which could change if Man Utd win the Europa League). And Newcastle of course would need a new striker, if Isak is sold. These clubs have less money and would be prepared to roll the dice on Delap.

Naturally no Newcastle fan (let alone their manager) wants to see their star player exit. Newcastle have reportedly slapped a $200 million price tag on their talisman as a deterrent. That would shatter premier league records – the previous highest being the $142.5 million Chelsea (irrationally) paid for Enzo Fernández.

But even at that inflated number (and presumably that’s just a starting point for negotiations), it’s not a risk. Isak has 21 goals and 6 assists this season (the same number of goals he scored last season). He’s actually the top scorer in the EPL if you remove penalties from the equation. His goal conversion rate is higher than Salah’s. He’s a proven EPL star - the finished article, blessed with blistering pace, technical skill and instinctive finishing. Perhaps the only question mark is a minor worry about stamina and fitness.

For all Newcastle’s protestations, the reality is they need the money in order to be able to strengthen in other areas. It's going to be tough for them to keep him, even if Newcastle do qualify for the Champions League.

By far the two most likely destinations for Isak are Liverpool and Arsenal, both of whom are desperate for an upgrade in this area. I’d even go this far. Assuming Isak stays fit, whichever of those two clubs buys Isak will win the title next year. The prospect of Sala/Isak/Diaz or Martinelli/Isak/Saka is one that causes the saliva glands to go into overdrive.

Liverpool have the edge in this race. Slot is a known admirer of Isak, describing him as “an unbelievable threat”. And Liverpool can also offer any number of players in exchange – Nunez, Elliott, Gomez, Quansah, Doak, Jota and even Diaz have been touted. When Liverpool acquired Van Dijk and Alisson many balked at the price tag. They are now considered a bargain for what they bought to the team. The same can be true of Isak. He may be five times the price of Delap, but he’s also five times more likely to succeed.

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