Arsenal warned of ‘big’ issue with Mikel Arteta’s ‘outstanding’ transfer target

Add as preferred source on Google

Stuart Pearce has now questioned if Ivan Toney would be ‘value for money’ in January as Arsenal target the striker’s transfer from Brentford under the order of Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners coach is eager to sign the 27-year-old in January to add another element to the Emirates Stadium attack. But Pearce wonders if Toney is worth the money that Brentford will demand, having been in ‘outstanding’ form last term before starting his eight-month FA ban.

Toney will return to action in mid-January after sitting out all of this season so far. He was an essential part of Thomas Frank’s squad at the Gtech Community Stadium with 20 goals in 33 Premier League games last term. Only Erling Haaland (36) and Harry Kane (30) scored more.

Brentford’s Ivan Toney is Mikel Arteta’s top striker target at Arsenal

But, now, the Mirror reports that Toney is keen to join Arsenal from Brentford in the January transfer window. He has developed strong desires to move to north London before resuming his career next month. Arteta has also marked Toney as his top striker target for the window.

Arteta is desperate to sign an out-and-out centre-forward who gives a physical presence like Toney. The Arsenal boss believes the Brentford talisman can offer something different to the Gunners’ current strikers in Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus in the Premier League title fight.

Brentford will only sell Toney if a suitor like Arsenal pays their £60m asking price as he has a contract to June 2025. The Bees have stuck to their price tag throughout this term and their technical director Lee Dykes has stated ‘he is in the top five in the world’, so merits a big fee.

Stuart Pearce questions if Ivan Toney’s transfer is ‘value for money’

But while Toney was amongst the Premier League’s top scorers last season, Pearce wonders if he represents value for money. The forward’s age concerns the England cult hero as there might be little re-sale value. But Toney is also an England forward after his debut this March.

“The big thing is the age of Toney might come into consideration,” Pearce told the Express. “People want value for money. He is certainly – before he was laid up – he was firing particularly well and did brilliantly for Brentford. I think he’s an outstanding player.

“But whether what it would cost to get him out of Brentford is value for money? I don’t know. Brentford will want top dollar for him, having sat with the player for the best part of nine months without him kicking a ball.”