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Arsenal transfer target Ivan Toney is reportedly ‘coveting’ a move to the Emirates Stadium as Mikel Arteta looks to address his concerns within the squad. The striker changed agency recently in the hope of securing a move away from Brentford, with a January transfer not being ruled out at this stage.
The Gunners have made a flying start to the 2023/24 campaign, with their 1-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday highlighting the progress that the squad has made since last season. Gabriel Martinelli scored the all-important winner at the Emirates Stadium, with his strike deflecting off of Nathan Ake and into the back of the net in the 86th minute.
Arsenal have looked strong in most departments since the start of the season, with their sprinkling of top talents in the summer improving the standard of the squad. However, despite not tasting defeat in their opening eight matches, there is still a major concern in Arteta’s squad – the lack of a marquee striker.
According to the Daily Mail, Toney has been identified as a target in North London, and the 27-year-old is ‘coveting’ a move to Arsenal as well. Arteta and his recruitment team are said to be taking the club’s lack of a top-quality No. 9 ‘very seriously’, having failed to truly address the issue over the summer.
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Toney has proven himself in the Premier League since Brentford’s promotion in 2021, scoring 20 in 33 appearances last season. However, the England international provides more than just a striker’s instinct. The ex-Peterborough star would provide the Gunners with a traditional focal point, with Toney’s physicality and ability to hold the ball up and bring his teammates into play both attractive attributes given Arsenal’s style of build-up play.
Although the forward has not made an appearance for the club so far this season, due to a ban, Brentford are not expected to let Toney leave for a cut-price fee, especially in January. Thus, whether Arsenal are willing to fork out a reported figure of approximately £70million in the midseason window remains to be seen.
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If the Gunners are well-positioned to push for the title in the latter stages of the campaign then bringing in Toney could be a simple decision given that he is regarded by many as the final piece of the puzzle in North London. But if injury problems and Arsenal’s busy fixture list affects their league form, as they have threatened to do so already, then Arteta may be content with persisting with Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz as his striker options.
Chelsea and Tottenham are also keen on Toney and will be hopeful of luring the forward away from Brentford sooner rather than later, though the player already appears to have settled on his next destination, if a sufficient bid is tabled.
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