Transfer Rumors: Manchester United, Manchester City Eyeing $104 Million Striker

Manchester City and Manchester United are set to face each other off in a bidding war for Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes.

The rumor mentions that both Manchester-based clubs are vying for Isak’s signature as he has a reported release clause of €90 million ($104 million) that will become active next summer.

Isak had a solid outing with Sweden’s international team during their short time at the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, falling out of the quarterfinals after losing 2-1 to Ukraine.

Going after a talent who is yet to prove his skills at the highest level is a major gamble for either side, but the rewards could far outweigh the risk.

The 2020 summer transfer window had Manchester City waving goodbye to longtime striker Sergio Aguero, who joined La Liga giants Barcelona on a free transfer.

Manager Pep Guardiola’s side tried multiple times to sign English national team captain Harry Kane from the Tottenham Hotspurs but were all rebuffed.

The Citizens’ glaring lack of a primary striker has forced them to rely on a balanced attack of Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Ferran Torres and Bernardo Silva all scoring two goals apiece.

It can be argued that England striker Raheem Sterling has a case to be the primary goal scorer, but the purchase of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa has put Sterling on the sidelines.

As for bitter rivals Manchester United, the return of Cristiano Ronaldo has placed a massive onus to win on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but their recent run of form suggests that they need more help.

Signing Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane were seen as major moves, but it appears the Red Devils may need more as their poor run of form were punctuated by a 4-2 loss to Leicester City.

Midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood currently lead the club in scoring with four goals and Ronaldo with three.

In 76 total appearances for Real Sociedad since joining the club in 2019, Isak has scored 26 goals.

The speedy forward can create space for himself and score against tight defenses and make brilliant reads off crosses for an easy opportunity in front of the goalkeeper.

Given enough time to develop his game, Isak fits exactly what both clubs need, and it may not come off as a surprise to see the young Swede in the English Premier League next season.