Arsenal caused some surprise when they signed Brentford goalkeeper David Raya in the summer window, and he has struggled since his arrival at the Emirates Stadium.
The Spaniard has made a few errors, with the worst coming as he cost Arsenal two goals in a dramatic victory at Luton Town, and his form is all the more surprising given how good he was for Brentford last season.
Perhaps adjusting to the pressures of playing for a club competing at the top end of the Premier League and in the Champions League has had an effect, whilst the intense media scrutiny over both him and Aaron Ramsdale has not helped.
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has now claimed that Raya’s struggles should serve as a warning to the club and Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates.
Paul Merson questions Ivan Toney deal amidst David Raya struggles
Writing for Sky Sports, Merson claimed that if Arsenal did sign Toney, he could face similar adjustment issues to Raya, with limited patience over his settling-in period.
“I do think he is a really good player, but he hasn’t been at a top club yet and we are seeing that with David Raya and Moises Caicedo at the moment,” Merson stated of Toney.
“It’s so different playing for Brentford, no disrespect, to playing for Arsenal or Chelsea. There’s so much scrutiny playing for the top clubs.
“Let’s take the weekend. Brentford lost to Sheffield United. What page was that report on? You hardly heard about it. However, Chelsea lost to Everton and it is headline after headline.
Merson went on to say that despite this issue, Toney could still be a worthwhile addition.
“It might just be worth the risk. I feel Arsenal and Chelsea might need Toney if they are to do anything this season. The hardest job in football is to score goals. There just aren’t many top-quality centre forwards around.”
Arsenal should not ignore the warning signs over Ivan Toney
If Arsenal do sign Ivan Toney, it would likely be a huge-money deal for a 27-year-old who has never played for a top club, and has not played any football this season.
There are simply too many red flags for Arsenal to ignore, and Gabriel Jesus is a better all-round forward than Toney anyway, and he helps the other players in the attack thrive.
Arsenal have been burned before, as Nicolas Pepe signed for a club-record deal a few years ago, after thriving in a counter-attacking Lille side. Whilst he was talented, it was clear that the stylistic differences, as well as the increased pressure, meant that he was destined to fail at the Emirates.
The potential for Toney to flop at Arsenal is high when taking into account how Raya has struggled after leaving Brentford, and this is definitely a cause for concern for Mikel Arteta.
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