Arsenal set transfer deadline to sign Alexander Isak alternative after manager promise

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta cut a frustrated figure on Saturday after his team fell to a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United to open up a sizeable deficit between themselves and leaders Liverpool.

His mood is unlikely to have been improved by the fact scored the only goal for . The Swede is one of the players claimed to be on Arsenal's radar to bolster their striking options.

Currently, and are the two leading centre-forward options at the Emirates Stadium, but neither man is particularly prolific. are the lowest scorers out of the three main favourites for the title and have scored less than the likes of Tottenham and Brentford in the Premier League.

Sadly for Arsenal, the prospect of signing Isak seems unlikely, at least right now. The player is happy at Newcastle and there's little motivation from Eddie Howe to sell him to a rival.

As such, Mikel Arteta needs to look out for alternatives to target in the upcoming transfer windows. The sensible alternative, perhaps, would be to look at Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres fits the model of striker were looking at this summer and now has situation in Lisbon has been thrown up into the air. His manager Ruben Amorim is soon to be starting a new role at , and it would likely leave the striker uncertain about his future.

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Unfortunately, United will be favourites to snap-up now they have Amorim in but, if Arsenal are quick, they could pip their old rivals to his signature. Speaking over the weekend, the incoming United head coach was asked about the prospect of signing Gyokeres, to which he replied: "Gyokeres costs €100 million (£83.7m) and it's very difficult.

"I'm not going to pick up any Sporting player in January." This promise to the Sporting fanbase sets a deadline for Arsenal to get a deal done.

Amorim did not rule out signing Sporting players in the future, and the likelihood is that he will explore Gyokeres' signature next summer. So, if Arsenal want to sign the striker who could add some much-needed firepower to the attack, they'd probably need to get a deal done in January.

Considering how quiet the mid-season window has been in the past, signing the Swede this winter is easier said than done, of course. But, Arsenal would only kick themselves if they opted not to target him, and then he joined United at the end of the campaign.