Chelsea may have received a boost in their pursuit of Ivan Toney after Arsenal showed reluctance in moving for the Brentford star.
According to Team Talk, Chelse may have the upper hand in the pursuit of Ivan Toney after recent developments in the chase. Arsenal have been one of the sides interested, but the Gunners are not ready to make an immediate move for the 27-year-old forward.
Ivan Toney could become a significant subject of transfer speculation as the January window edges closer. The 27-year-old forward continues to serve his ban over betting breaches and will return to the field on January 16. He has already resumed training with Brentford and is already in line to make a move out of the club.
Despite The Athletic’s David Ornstein claiming he will remain at the club post-January, the interest in the striker continues to mount. Chief among those are London giants Arsenal and Chelsea, with both those teams keen on recruiting a new No.9 in the new window.
Toney reportedly remains open to a new challenge and could push through a move to one of the interested sides. There are plenty of complications in this case, which also includes him not playing football for a long time.
🔴🐝 Thomas Frank: “I hope Ivan Toney doesn’t leave in January, I want him to stay and Ivan is happy to stay”.
“He is happy at the club. What happens in the future is impossible to guess — but I’d love to have Toney here forever!”. pic.twitter.com/OIrCqizCz7
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 3, 2023
Arsenal are interested in signing the 20-goal forward, but Edu Gaspar is reportedly reluctant to spend big in the January window. The Gunners did splash around £60 million on new players last January, but this time around, they are a bit cautious.
Moreover, Mikel Arteta would reportedly like to see how Toney performs upon his return to competitive action and then decide on a move next summer. Brentford have already placed a £100 million price tag, but interested clubs could negotiate that down to a more reasonable sum.
Chelsea are also keen and probably in more of a need to sign a new leading striker. Their forwards Armando Broja and Nicolas Jackson have not performed to the required levels, plus Christopher Nkunku is yet to kick a ball since injuring his knee in pre-season.
With Arsenal showing doubts about signing Toney in January, Chelsea could take advantage of the situation to make their move. If the Gunners confirm their withdrawal from the chase, and if Toney wants a movement at all costs, then the Blues could emerge as his big option.
Moreover, Chelsea could have the upper hand in negotiations if they are the only side keen on signing the 27-year-old forward. Hence, if Arsenal are out, then it boosts Chelsea’s prospects of signing Toney from Brentford in January.
