Mikel Arteta has learned there’s one Premier League rule that prevents Arsenal from signing Brentford striker Ivan Toney on loan.
The 27-year-old is one of several strikers who has been drafted up on Arsenal’s shortlist ahead of the January transfer window.
Toney, who is serving the final month of his ban for breaches of FA betting regulations, has expressed his desire to leave Brentford in the upcoming window and the Bees have set a £60 million price tag on the head of their prised possession.
A link to the Emirates makes sense given their lack of a clinical edge in tight matches and the England international would provide the deadly finishing that Mikel Arteta needs at the top end of the pitch.
Since arriving in the Premier League, Toney has established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in the division having plundered 32 goals in 66 matches.
Last season, he scored 20 top-flight goals and finished only behind the unstoppable Erling Haaland and Harry Kane in that regard.
Whilst the ban has served as a huge blow to his progress, that hasn’t stopped potential suitors from pursuing a move with Toney stepping up his training to prepare himself for a return.
There have, however, been concerns over whether Arsenal have the financial leverage to pull off such a move having splashed the cash in the summer.
With that said, a loan deal – which includes an option to buy – has been mooted, but there is one rule that prevents the Gunners from exploring that avenue currently.
The Premier League rule that prevents Arsenal from signing Ivan Toney on loan
There’s a Premier League rule that states a club isn’t allowed to sign more than one player from the same club on loan and given Arsenal already have Brentford’s goalkeeper David Raya, it’s impossible to sign Toney.
The league rules state: “The maximum number of loans registrable in the same season is four, and, under no circumstances, shall more than one be from the same club at any one time.”
Despite having loan slots available, the Gunners would have to trigger Raya’s option to buy – which stands at £27 million – to capture the striker on loan.
But given how the Spaniard has struggled in between the sticks and made some costly errors in matches, it doesn’t make sense for Arsenal to shell out that much for him.
Nonetheless, failing to trigger that deal would leave Arteta at risk of losing Toney to a rival while leaving themselves light at the top end of the pitch.
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