- Former Arsenal academy graduate Jay Bothroyd has expressed his desire to see Ivan Toney join his former club in the upcoming January transfer window. Arsenal had a successful transfer window, acquiring Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, and David Raya to bolster their squad and enhance their title-challenging prospects.
However, some fans were hoping for a late defensive signing after Timber sustained a serious injury. The departures of Rob Holding, Nuno Tavares, and Kieran Tierney left Arsenal somewhat short in defense. Nevertheless, the team appears well-prepared for the season ahead.
While Arsenal may consider addressing their defensive shortcomings in the January market, their squad possesses strength and depth in most positions. Consequently, the potential signing of 27-year-old English international Ivan Toney as a striker would be surprising, given their existing options.
Mikel Arteta can call upon Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, and Kai Havertz in the forward role, and they also offloaded Folarin Balogun during the summer. As a result, signing a center-forward is not a top priority for the club at this point.
Despite this, Jay Bothroyd has urged Arsenal to pursue Ivan Toney in the next transfer window. He highlighted Toney’s goal-scoring ability, physical strength, and his effectiveness as a leading striker, suggesting that he could score at least 20 Premier League goals per season in a top team. Bothroyd expressed his desire to see Toney don the Arsenal jersey.
However, it’s worth noting that Toney is currently serving an eight-month ban for violating the Premier League’s betting rules, and he will only be eligible to play again in January. While Chelsea reportedly considers him a top target, other clubs are also interested in securing his signature.
Despite Toney’s potential to shine at a larger club than Brentford, his current club has reportedly set a steep £80 million price tag on him. Given Arsenal’s well-covered positions in the squad, it is unlikely that they would be willing to make such a significant financial commitment to sign the 27-year-old English international.
Instead, Arsenal may focus on aggressively pursuing defensive or midfield reinforcements in the January transfer window to enhance their squad depth. The prospect of a transfer battle for Ivan Toney’s services at Arsenal seems unlikely, considering their current priorities and financial considerations.
