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 With three days to the end of the transfer window Alexander Isak’s plan move to Liverpool is the only transfer this summer that se3ems heading to nowhere. As at Friday, Newcas­tle manager, Eddie Howe and his Liverpool counterpart, Arne Slot gave out little or nothing in the media briefing that would have assisted in predicting the out­come of a deal that is likely to go either side.

After their opening offer of £110 million was emphatically rejected earlier this month, Liv­erpool maintained a respectful distance to allow for Newcastle United to resolve their striker sit­uation. But the player remained adamant as at last night of his desire never to play for Newcas­tle again.

Now, with Eddie Howe’s side set to sign Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart, the dominos could start to fall and allow for Isak to seal his move to Anfield, provid­ing Liverpool return with an improved bid. Reports on Friday suggest that Liverpool are pre­pared to offer a second bid worth £130 million, but if this is true, this bid falls short of Newcastle’s £150 million valuation.

The big question is will New­castle keep Isak, and what can they do before the end of the win­dow either way? Proving answer will be like seeking water froma a rock. Accrding to mark odgen, writing for espn.con, “Progress in a £65m deal for Woltemade could unlock a move for Isak, but it’s still complicated. Don’t forget that Newcastle let Callum Wilson leave as a free agent in the summer, so their attacking options were already in need of reinforcement before the Isak situation became the saga of the transfer window.

“If Woltemade signs and deals can be done to sign Brentford’s Yoane Wissa or Wolves forward Jorgen Strand Larsen over the weekend, then that would open the door for Isak to leave — but Liverpool would also have to meet Newcastle’s valuation. There are still obstacles to overcome for Isak to move to Liverpool before the deadline, though they are not insurmountable.”

Let’s move on the to issue for the day. Arsenal fans and their haters want to know what Ebere­chi Eze will bring to the Gunners. With Bukayo Saka out for a cou­ple of weeks and and Martin Ode­gaard availability against Liver­pool tomorrow in doubt, this is an opportunity for the English international to hit the ground running.

This weekend brings one of the standout fixtures of the sea­son as Liverpool host Arsenal at Anfield. Last season’s top two go head-to-head in what could be an early marker in the title race.

Liverpool, the reigning cham­pions, will be looking to stamp their authority at home, while Ar­senal – who were the closest chal­lengers – will aim to show they can go one better this time. Both sides have strengthened over the summer, and with their attacking talent on display, this one has all the ingredients of a classic.

Will Mikel Arteta break his Anfield hoodoo, or will Arne Slot’s team remind everyone why they are the reigning champions?

The question that readily comes to mind is how will Eze fit in at Arsenal?

William Bitibiri, Football Journalist, writing on skysports. com provided the answer, noting, “What made Eze a joy to watch was the unpredictability he brought to SE25. It’s that x-factor Arsenal have perhaps lacked, coming up short in their attempts to fend off the competition for the Premier League title.

“Arsenal have been said to have developed an overreliance on Bukayo Saka and Martin Ode­gaard, who have proved depend­able sources of goals and assists. This is reflected heavily on the pitch with Arsenal’s biasing the right-hand side during attacks.

“While various patterns born out of this area have unravelled defences and produced key at­tacks, an obvious foil for oppo­sition defences is to gamble and double up in that area of the pitch.

“Aware of this, Arsenal have negotiated means of ensuring Saka remains a threat; however, the predictability in attack means Arteta’s free-flowing attacking side of perhaps a couple of sea­sons ago has become a team com­mended for their strong founda­tions, but at times failing to excite in attack.

“As one of the league’s chief creators from his favoured left-hand side, Eze adds a new dynam­ic to Arsenal attacks. Should Eze fill in on the left, which many have predicted, he’ll become an­other vessel for Arsenal attacks, creating a balance that could un­nerve the staunchest of defences.

“It’s also important to note, though, that at Palace, Eze was seldom used as a traditional touchline winger. In Glasner’s system, he was what’s best de­scribed as a ‘left 10’ when in pos­session. As a left 10, Eze offers Arsenal what they don’t have in any of their current options off the left.

“In attack, Eze’s athleticism, along with his desire to get and stay on the ball and operate pri­marily in the half space, frees up further opportunities for a left-back to maraud forward to create overloads. But his distinct con­fidence on the ball means beat­ing players one-on-one is also an option.

“Defensively, the discipline of Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 will have readied Eze for the demands of Arteta’s fluid 4-3-3. As with his Austrian counterpart, a willingness to take up defensive positions off the ball, cover space and support your full-back are among Arteta’s non-negotiables. Eze fits that bill too, as one of last season’s leading attacking players when it came to winning the ball back in the defensive and middle third of the pitch.

“The redemption story to this point appears far too perfect for Eze’s story to close with simply signing a deal at Arsenal. Re­jection was just the beginning with Eze deliberately navigating himself back to where he felt he belonged.

“He said he’d do “anything pos­sible to win the Premier League” back in May. The FA Cup win just whetted his appetite for more.

“The Emirates is primed and ready for Arsenal’s new No 10. But whether he will be the difference maker in Arteta’s long-awaited hunt for a league title remains to be seen.”