Man Utd, Chelsea snubbed, as formidable 20-goal striker chooses Arsenal over Prem rivals
Brentford striker Ivan Toney is being chased by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but reports suggest that Arsenal would be his preferred destination in January.
The England international has been suspended from football since May after admitting a breach of the Football Association’s betting rules.
Toney will return from his ban in mid-January and has been training with Brentford since September. Despite his absence, Premier League clubs are competing for his signature.
That is no surprise, either, considering he scored a stunning 20 Premier League goals last season, with only Harry Kane (30) and Erling Haaland (36) scoring more.
As previously reported by Football365, Manchester United and Chelsea are also big admirers of Toney.
Erik ten Hag is keen to bring in a replacement for exit-linked striker Anthony Martial, while Mauricio Pochettino wants more competition for Nicolas Jackson.
It now seems, however, that Man Utd and Chelsea will have to look elsewhere for a new front man if Toney gets his way.
According to the Daily Mirror, ‘Toney is keen on a move to Arsenal,’ amid Mikel Arteta’s ‘hunt for a new striker.’
Brentford reportedly value the talented centre-forward between £80m and £100m, so it’s likely that the Gunners would have to sell players before sanctioning such a deal.
Toney’s preference is good news for Arsenal, though, as signing a consistent goal scorer like him could help propel them to the Premier League title this season.
Former Gunner Ian Wright agrees with this, saying that he sees Toney as the “last bit in the jigsaw.”
“I believe that Arsenal in what we’re trying to do now – the margins are so small now – you cannot afford to miss chances and not win games,” Wright said.
“The Toney links don’t go away because you can see that’s probably the last bit in the jigsaw. It’s obvious for everyone to see that this is the last piece. Arsenal will do it if it can be done.”
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Arsenal do make a concrete offer for Toney in January. If they can agree on a fee with Brentford, personal terms with Toney should not be a problem.
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