Ivan Toney was linked with a move to Arsenal for so long that when he finally decided to not move to The Emirates, it almost felt like a betrayal.
Toney, as we know, opted to play his football over in Saudi Arabia for the mega-money on offer and instead, snubbed the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham.
However, despite the obvious ill feeling between Toney and some within the Arsenal fanbase, the England striker has admitted he’d still like the Gunners to win the title.
Agree or disagree…Arsenal would have already won the title if they’d signed Ivan Toney back in 2022?
Ivan Toney explains why he wants Arsenal to win the Premier League
Most neutral fans in football want to see a new winner of the Premier League and it seems that Ivan Toney is no different.
Speaking to TalkSPORT, Toney acknowledged the friction between him and Arsenal but claimed he still wanted them to win.
“Arsenal fans hate me as it is,” Toney admitted. “So, I can’t say too much, but you know I actually genuinely do want them to win.
“I think it’s boring City winning all the time. It would be nice for another team to win. Also, got a couple friends at Arsenal also.
“So, I think yeah, it’ll be special for them obviously being so close for so long and hopefully they can finally get over the line.”
Why Arsenal fans dislike Ivan Toney
There has been some friction between a section of the Arsenal supporters and Toney for some time now.
It goes back to the 2022 season when Toney, while at Brentford, posted about a ‘nice kickabout with the boys’ after beating the Gunners 2-0.
Furthermore, Toney’s continued bringing up of that comment, not to mention he constantly seemed to score against the Gunners – including a crucial goal in the 2023 title race – means Arsenal fans have always had it in for him.
🔮 Which stage of the Champions League will Arsenal reach?
Indeed, when it did come to Arsenal looking like they were going to get a deal for Toney done, speculation surfaced that the Gunners pulled out due to concerns over his character.
This only enhanced those opinions of the Arsenal fans who doubted him and it seems that things have never quite cooled.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
