Date: Sunday, 22 January 2017
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/22/alexander-isak-borussia-dortmund-real-madrid Borussia Dortmund to beat Real Madrid to signing of Swedish wonderkid Alexander Isak • 17-year-old Alexander Isak set to join Bundesliga club for €10m • Real Madrid also interested in Sweden’s youngest ever goalscorer Marcus Christenson Sunday 22 January 2017 11.44 GMT Borussia Dortmund are set to complete the signing of AIK’s highly rated teenager Alexander Isak for €10m (£8.65m). The 17-year-old, who became Sweden’s youngest ever goalscorer earlier this month, looked set to be joining Real Madrid last week but appears to have had a change of heart and opted for the Bundesliga club. Dortmund have gained a reputation for being one of the best clubs in Europe for young players, having signed and given first-team opportunitues to players such as Christian Pulisic (18 years old), Ousmane Dembélé (19) , Julian Weigl (21) and Raphaël Guerreiro (23). Isak and his advisers, who were in Dortmund on Sunday working on concluding the deal, are also likely to have looked at the struggles of another Scandinavian prospect, Martin Odegaard, who has found it difficult at Real Madrid since joining the club as a 16-year-old in January 2015. The Norwegian has made one appearance for the club and joined Heerenveen in the Netherlands on loan this month. Isak scored 10 league goals in 24 appearances for AIK during the 2017 Swedish season, including two in the derby against Djurgarden on this 17th birthday, and became Sweden’s youngest ever goalscorer when he found the net against Slovakia on 12 January, beating a 105-year-old record in the process. He had become the second youngest player ever to represent his country four days previously when he made his debut against Ivory Coast and the Sweden national coach, Janne Andersson, said after the two games: “Isak is rewriting history and I am not surprised. I knew that he would do well. He is calm and incredibly stable. It’s been fun to get to know him.” Borussia Dortmund are reportedly on the verge of pulling of a big transfer coup by beating Real Madrid to the signing of highly-rated youngster Alexander Isak. -- http://www.90min.com/posts/4450487-borussia-dortmund-set-to-edge-real-madrid-to-signature-of-swedish-teenager-alexander-isak Dortmund Set to Edge Real Madrid & Liverpool to Signature of Swedish Teenager Alexander Isak Callum Rice-Coates 22 JAN 2017 Borussia Dortmund are on the verge of completing the €10m signing of AIK wonderkid Alexander Isak, The Guardian have reported. The 17-year-old appeared to be set to join European champions Real Madrid last week, the Spanish club claiming it was a "done deal", but he seems to have reconsidered and opted to move to Germany instead. Premier League sides had also been monitoring the starlet, with Liverpool said to be the most interested. Isak impressively found the net ten times in 24 appearances in his breakthrough 2017 Allsvenskan season with AIK. The young Swede has attracted the interest of a number of Europe's biggest clubs since his rise to prominence, with Chelsea also said to be admirers. But Dortmund appear to have won the race, perhaps because of their enviable record of progressing the careers of young players. The Bundesliga side boast young talents such as Ousmane Dembele and Julian Weigl, who have both improved drastically since their arrivals at the club. Isak has already made his international debut, becoming the second youngest player to represent his country in the process. He followed that up by becoming the youngest player in history to score for the national team with a goal against Slovakia on January 12. Sweden national coach, Janne Andersson, said: “Isak is rewriting history and I am not surprised. I knew that he would do well. He is calm and incredibly stable. It’s been fun to get to know him.” -- http://www.eurosport.com/football/borussia-dortmund-to-beat-real-madrid-to-signing-of-wonderkid-alexander-isak_sto6028498/story.shtml
