Premier League aspirants Arsenal have been heavily touted to make a move for Brentford attacker Ivan Toney in the January transfer window. To fund the move, the Gunners could place Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah on the transfer market.
Arsenal Learn Brentford’s Asking Price For Ivan Toney
Toney, who is currently serving a suspension for being in violation of strict FA gambling rules, has long been linked with a move away from Brentford. According to The Times (via GOAL), Arsenal are assessing their options up top and are interested in getting Toney on their books. However, their pursuit of the Englishman will not be straightforward as Brentford have no intention of selling him.
The Bees will reportedly ask interested parties to pay a whopping £80 million ($97 million) to secure the 27-year-old’s services. Chelsea are also believed to be keen to prize the attacker away from Brentford, which further complicates Arsenal’s pursuit of the player.
If Mikel Arteta’s side decide to sign Toney for £80 million ($97 million), they will have to sell players within June 2024 to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations. And as per the aforementioned report, Nketiah, Smith Rowe, and Nelson could end up on the chopping block.
None of the three players have a starting role under Arteta. Nketiah has been featuring regularly lately, but his primary job is to cover first-choice center-forward, Gabriel Jesus. Academy graduate Smith Rowe used to feature frequently in the No. 10 role, but thanks to Martin Odegaard’s near-spotless form, he has become an afterthought. Finally, there is Nelson, who plays second fiddle to the sensational Bukayo Saka. As things stand, the north London outfit would not mind if these players were sacrificed for Toney.
Toney Has Been On Fire Lately
Toney scored a whopping 20 goals in 33 Premier League matches last season. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (36 goals) and then-Tottenham Hotspur ace Harry Kane (30 goals) scored more goals in the 2022-23 Premier League campaign.
By signing Toney, Arsenal will finally have a conventional center-forward at their disposal. Unlike Jesus, Toney does not contribute as much to the build-up play, which allows him to be available inside the penalty area. Against teams that deploy a low-block system, Toney, with his directness, could prove to be more effective than Jesus.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
