Arsenal told £150m ‘phenomenon’ should be ‘number one’ target, not Ivan Toney

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Journalist Charles Watts has now revealed whether he would rather see Arsenal sign Ivan Toney or Victor Osimhen.

Arsenal have been linked with a move for both Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Napoli superstar Victor Osimhen.

Both players are proven goalscorers who would improve Mikel Arteta’s squad at the Emirates Stadium. Last season, Toney netted twenty times for the Bees in the Premier League, whilst Osimhen fired the Italian outfit to a Serie A title.

Neither player would come cheap, of course. Brentford are thought to want up to £100 million in exchange for Toney in the upcoming January transfer window, whilst Napoli have slapped a £150 million price tag on Osimhen and remain desperate to convince him to extend his stay in Naples beyond the end of the current season. 

As far as this winter market is concerned, it would be difficult for the north London club to strike a deal for either player. Arsenal only have a limited budget at their disposal as things stand, and given the injury issues which have depleted their defensive contingent, they are likely to prioritise bolstering their options at the back.

It does certainly seem, though, that Arteta is keen to bring a new striker to the Emirates Stadium sooner rather than later. Current first choice Gabriel Jesus is a fine player, but has admitted himself that prolific goalscoring is not his strength, and there are doubts about whether or not he has what it takes to fire the Gunners to a Premier League title triumph. 

Charles Watts weighs up Victor Osimhen over Ivan Toney

Charles Watts has now had his say on whether he thinks Arsenal should move for Toney or Osimhen. Discussing the matter on his Inside Arsenal YouTube platform, the reporter said, “if I wrote my top three striker wishlist for Arsenal, Osimhen would be number one, no doubt about it.”

“I look around the world right now at the best number nines, where they are and how possible they would be to sign, and Osimhen is number one…I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have.”

“Whether Arsenal can do it, I don’t know. It’s going to be a hell of an expensive one, there’s going to be lots of competition, and I think it’s one for the summer. I don’t think it’s one for January.”

There is no denying that Osimhen would be a statement signing for Arsenal to make. The 24-year-old hitman has even previously been described as a “phenomenon” by the New Telegraph. He has the capacity to be one of the most lethal strikers in the Premier League and could have a transformative impact on Arsenal. 

What his arrival would mean for Jesus, or Hale End academy graduate Eddie Nketiah for that matter, remains to be seen. One thing that is certain, though, is that it would represent a seismic piece of business for the club which would surely shatter the £105 million club-record fee which was set with the purchase of Declan Rice this summer.