Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth has given his verdict on Arsenal’s pursuit of Ivan Toney, saying the Gunners might consider splurging on the player if they see him as a long-term solution to their goalscoring problem.
Arsenal Are In Dire Need Of More Firepower
Arsenal’s designated center-forwards, Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, have both been below par this season. Jesus has played 21 games for the club in all competitions, scoring just seven times. Nketiah, meanwhile, has bagged six goals in 26 outings across tournaments. Former Chelsea man Kai Havertz has also failed to fill in for the underperforming pair, with him scoring just five times in 29 games in the 2023-24 season.
Owing to their poor finishing, Arsenal ended 2023 with consecutive defeats to West Ham United and Fulham in the Premier League and lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the FA Cup Third Round on January 7. Unless they fix their act and find a way to score more consistently, the north Londoners could crash out of the Premier League race long before entering the business end of the season.
Sheth Claims Toney Gunners Could Pursue Toney If They Think He Is Worth It
According to multiple reports, Brentford want around £100 million for Toney this January, which is seemingly too big a sum for Mikel Arteta’s side. Speaking on the Sky Sports Transfer Talk Podcast, Sheth acknowledged the difficulty of the deal but said the situation could change if the board is convinced of the 27-year-old’s worth.
Sheth said (via The Boot Room):
“If you look at what’s happened with Arsenal, I know we have spoken about FFP already, and the David Raya deal in the summer was a loan with an option to buy which effectively becomes an obligation. It was in Brentford’s interest to do that deal in that way, but Arsenal couldn’t pay that transfer fee at that time. If you think about what’s happened with Raya, you can’t envisage a situation where Arsenal can go to Brentford and say here’s £100m for Toney.
“I’m not saying it’s impossible because if Arsenal see Toney as their long-term target and agree at board and manager level that he’s the one they want for the long-term, is it impossible to do a deal in January? It’s not impossible, nothing is impossible, but it’s very unlikely.”
Toney, whom Brentford kept on despite his inability to play this season until January 17 due to gambling offenses, recently expressed his gratitude to the club. It is unlikely he will throw tantrums to facilitate a move to the Emirates Stadium this January.
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