Ivan Toney has been linked with a move away from Brentford, but the 27-year-old is currently unsure about leaving in January.
A report from The Sun has claimed that Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in 27-year-old English striker Ivan Toney, who is currently suspended for breaching the gambling regulations. He will return to action midway through January and feels that he has a debt to repay to the club and the manager for standing by him through the difficult period.
The source said, “A lot of people assume Ivan will be on his way after Christmas, but no deal has been done – and nothing has been decided. Ivan is torn over his future. Brentford have stood by him and the club have been brilliant. Part of him wants to help them by hitting the ground running straight away in January and scoring the goals which will ensure they stay in the Premier League.”
“There are a lot of clubs interested in Ivan but his focus, for now, is getting back on the pitch at Brentford and doing the business for his manager Thomas Frank, to whom he feels he has a big debt to repay. The same goes for the fans. He’s determined to get back in the England squad and Ivan fully believes in himself to make the first squad once he’s back playing football.”
It will be interesting to see if the 27-year-old is ready to move on in January and join suitors like Arsenal and Chelsea. The Gunners are currently leading the chase for his services according to the report, and he should prove to be a quality acquisition for them.
Arsenal need to bring in a prolific goalscorer as a partner for Gabriel Jesus and Toney would be the ideal acquisition. He is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League and he will be able to make an immediate impact at the North London club. Arsenal will look to win the league title season, and signing someone like him in January would improve them immensely.
Meanwhile, it is no secret that Chelsea need to sign a quality striker. They signed Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal this past summer and he has had a mixed campaign. Toney would certainly be an upgrade on him and he could transform Chelsea going forward. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal and Chelsea decide to come forward with a concrete proposal in the coming months.
The player is unlikely to be a cheap acquisition, and he is likely to cost a premium as well.Toney wants to compete at the highest level with the big clubs, and the opportunity to play for the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal can be hard to turn down. However, he is clearly torn about the move in January, and it remains to be seen whether the striker decides to stay until the summer transfer window.