Arsenal are hopeful that their patient approach over Ivan Toney pays off as they seek to sign him closer to the price-level they initially had in mind a year ago.
Arsenal Hopeful Of Landing Toney At Reduced Price
Sources have told SportLens how the Gunners first started to consider Toney as a potential fit for their side in the second half of last season.
At that stage – his ban for gambling breaches was pending, and it is understood that Arsenal felt his value in the market by the back end of 2023 was around £50million.
That did not prove to be the case, as Brentford ended up hiking up his price-tag towards £80million. As such, the Bees were able to shoo off any prospective buyers in January.
Arsenal are taking a cautious approach with their interest in Toney, and leaks around the club are minimal in terms of revealing too much information surrounding their interest.
But our sources have confirmed that the interest is genuine, and what is good news for sporting director Edu and the recruitment team is that the 27-year-old’s price in the market is no longer at such a premium level.
His current contract at the Gtech Community Stadium expires in the summer of 2025, and despite whispers of an extension, nothing is close at this moment.
Toney Valuation Expected To Drop Towards £50-60million
It is currently expected that when Toney is pursued for a summer transfer – his valuation could drop towards the £50-60million bracket, which is what Arsenal had initially placed his value at.
Such a situation would be good news for the Gunners as they also seek to improve other areas of the team next summer.
Toney, 27, returned to action in January and already has two Premier League goals in three starts for the Bees.
He is very keen on the idea of pushing himself to the next level this year and while interest from Chelsea still exists – as well as admiration from both Manchester United and Tottenham – Arsenal remains his expected destination.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank admitted earlier in the week: “It is relatively obvious that Ivan Toney will probably be sold this summer.”
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