West Ham United striker Michail Antonio says rumoured Arsenal target Ivan Toney is “what they’re missing” in their quest for the Premier League title.
Arsenal are in the market for several top strikers after watching the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus decline this season.
With only 11 goals scored between them in the Premier League, many fear that the lack of goals from the forward trio could cost them the title, but history suggests that isn’t always the case.
It is perfectly possible to win the league and your top individual scorer to finish the season with a relatively meagre total.
Manchester City won the league in 2020/21 and Ilkay Gundogan finished as their top scorer from midfield with a mere 13, and the next season Kevin De Bruyne top-scored with 15.
In Liverpool’s goal-fest championship season in 2019/20, Mohamed Salah finished on a total of 19, his joint-lowest single-season tally since moving to Anfield.
If Arsenal thought they were desperate for a striker, they only need to take one look at previous title winners to know it’s more about having a goalscorer at the top end of the pitch.
That said, West Ham striker Michail Antonio still believes that Ivan Toney is who the Gunners are missing in their assault for the title.
Michail Antonio thinks Ivan Toney is worth £100m to Arsenal
Toney could return from his betting ban to face Nottingham Forest on January 20th, and is one of the most sought after strikers in the January transfer window.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has previously said that only an “unbelievable” offer would tempt the struggling Bees to sell their star striker.
Given Arsenal’s current financial predicament they can ill-afford to splash the cash in January as they need to prioritise cover at left-back and in midfield, however, Antonio believes Toney is worth a triple figure sum.
Speaking on the Footballer’s Football Podcast, he said: “I believe to Arsenal he is worth £100m,
“I believe if he was at Arsenal when they played us they probably would have won that game. He’s the type of guy who is always there, always in the right place and constantly puts it in the back of the net.
“I feel like that’s what they’re missing from their title race basically. They need someone’s who’s gonna give them 20 goals and I believe if he goes to Arsenal he will get 20 goals.”
Does Mikel Arteta need a new striker?
For all of their concerns in other positions, there is a strong argument to be made that a striker should be top of Arteta’s shopping list in this transfer window.
Gabriel Jesus is far from prolific in front of goal and has only netted three Premier League goals this season.
As a first-choice striker at Arsenal, that total is nowhere near enough with Jesus even admitting himself that goalscoring isn’t his strength.
Although you don’t necessarily need a clinical goalscorer to win the league, signing a forward – like Toney – would certainly boost their chances, especially against teams who operate in a low block.
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