Chelsea favourites in chase for the 'new Zlatan Ibrahimovic' — report

According to ESPN's sources, Chelsea are the new favourites in the race for Swedish talent Alexander Isak. The 17-year-old striker has taken the top Swedish football league by storm this year, scoring 10 goals in 24 matches for his club AIK and helping the team to 2nd place in the competition.

European giants Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are believed to be in the chase as well, but Chelsea have reportedly taken the lead by tabling a €11 million offer for the youngster. A report from last week on ESPN claimed that PSG had already moved onto negotiations for the player, with AIK holding out on a €15 million price tag; while Italian news outlets reported that Juventus had made a €16 million attempt for Isak.

The highlight reels show a striker with enough pace and agility to beat most defenders in the Swedish league, as well as handling their physical playing style. He has a good first touch, doing well in controlling the ball on the end of quick releases.

Like most modern strikers, Isak is very mobile and isn't one to play within the penalty box as a classic poacher. But even though he seems to prefer attacking the opposing goal with runs from outside the box, he seems more than able to pick up good runs within the box to attack the ball and put one past the goalkeeper. His great composure in front of the goal and finishing skills also deserve a note.

On the negative side, the 6' 3'' striker (1.90m) doesn't seem to use his frame to its fullest, which could be attributed to inexperience and a still-developing physique. He's also very one-footed, almost exclusively using his right foot to carry the ball, dribble and shoot and rarely making use of his left one. And despite his calmness in front of the goal, the youngster lacks in decision-making — something that should also improve as he progresses in his career.

Comparisons in Sweden to a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic have already been made, and Isak could very well beat the record €8.7 million transfer figure from 2001 when Ibra left Swedish club Malmö for Ajax. Next summer, we shall see who amongst the three European juggernauts will be hosting Isak's services for the future.