January transfer window: Paul Merson for Alexander Isak to Arsenal, Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid and Rodri’s replacement | Football News

With the January transfer window open, Paul Merson gives his views on whether Arsenal need a striker, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future at Liverpool and why Manchester City need a Rodri replacement.

Despite Gabriel Jesus’ scoring outings in recent weeks, the Sky Sports Insider says Newcastle’s Alexander Isak ‘would take Arsenal to the next level’.

Premier League leaders Liverpool also continue to face questions over Alexander-Arnold’s contracts. which attracts the interest of Real Madrid – Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Meanwhile, could Manchester City save their season by bringing in a midfielder to fill the void left by the injured Rodri?

Read on for Merson’s thoughts on what could unfold in the transfer window next month…

“Arsenal must break the bank for Isak”

If I was Arsenal and I had the money, I would go out and buy (Alexander) Isak. I would break the bank for him. He is the best of the best and takes Arsenal to another level.

What I like about Jesus is that he came back to the team and said “this time, I’m going to go into the box and score. If I’m going to stay in this team, I have to score goals’ and that’s what he has done. The goal against Brentford was a proper goal for poachers and it’s rare to see him at 6 yards heading them over.

With Kai Havertz also coming back, it pushes him back into midfield, but as a striker, Havertz will naturally get into the box and there’s an extra body in there.

If Jesus can keep doing what he’s doing, there won’t be a need (to bring in a striker). But looking at the big picture and next season as well, if they can get hold of Isak, who I think is the best in the business at the moment, I think that would be a massive coup for Arsenal.

“Trent will join Real – but I’d be shocked if it happens in January”

£20m in football terms is a cup of tea. It’s almost nothing in the Premier League. You have to keep him. He is a special player, let’s make the most of him over the next four or five months.

The range of his passing is unparalleled, he is to be enjoyed. He certainly won’t want to go to Real Madrid right now.

Liverpool have an incredible chance of winning the Premier League. They did it in 2020 when The Kop wasn’t full and there was nobody there. Unless you’re a Man Utd or Arsenal fan, who wouldn’t want them to win the league this season?

I don’t know if anyone has ever dismissed Real Madrid. It’s just a special club, it’s not going down. Liverpool have a much better chance of winning the Champions League this season, but if they get him he has an incredible talent.

He will be at Real Madrid (next season). I can’t see anything but Real Madrid. When you reduce your contract in the last six months, the amount of money he has lost by not signing a new agreement for higher wages.

I can’t see it not happening, but I’d be very shocked if it happened in January.

“To have the three best players out of contract in six months is criminal”

I think all three of Trent, Van Dijk and Salah were an absolute credit if I’m honest.

I think that reducing their contracts to six months, as ever happens in football, is criminal. Having three of your best players’ contracts all expire in six months is just unheard of, really.

I can’t remember anywhere else where you had three top, top, top players out of contract. If they could keep two out of three, they had the biggest result ever. I thought they were going to lose all three.

If Trent goes but can keep Van Dijk and Salah, I think they’ve had the biggest effect ever. But for Liverpool to be in this position, as I say, in football, it is criminal.

“Manchester City must prioritize Rodri’s replacement”

Manchester City should probably go out in the market in January and get someone because at the moment, I don’t think with the squad they have, they will fight for the top four.

Their priority should be the defensive midfielder, a player who holds the midfield. Rodri has been greatly missed. I know people go, “it’s not just up to him,” but personally, I do. I think it’s done to him. So simple.

If you drive a Ferrari or a Rolls Royce and put in diesel, it’s not going anywhere. It doesn’t matter how good you are, how good the car is and how great it is, if you don’t have what makes it work inside the engine, it won’t work and it’s proven with Rodri.

They are so open and the thing about Rodri is that he sees danger. How many times do you see man city attack now and they are all over the place? It didn’t happen with Rodri.

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 fast and when you don’t get the ball as fast, everything closes in.

These players need time and space and if they do, they will absolutely destroy you. But right now, they don’t get it because the ball isn’t going through the lines fast enough. The defense is also everywhere, they don’t have that protection.

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