Arsenal handed boost as Ivan Toney opens door for January exit
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Arsenal have been handed a boost in signing Brentford striker Ivan Toney this month.
The England international had a brilliant 2022/23 campaign with the Bees where he scored 21 goals across all competitions.
However, his season ended on a disappointing note after he was handed an eight-month ban for breaching FA betting rules.
Toney will be back in competitive action against Nottingham Forest this weekend.
Ahead of the game, the 27-year-old has said that he wants to play for a top club and fight for titles. He refused to rule out a move this month.
He told Sky Sports: “You can never predict when is the right time to move elsewhere, but I think it’s obvious I want to play for a top club.”
“Everybody wants to play for a top club, that is fighting for titles. Whether it’s this January that is the right time for a club to come in and pay the right money, who knows?”
Arsenal handed boost as Toney opens door for exit
Earlier this month, Toney said in a Sky Sports interview that he wants to repay Brentford by helping them in their fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
However, the striker has now made a surprise U-turn by opening the door for an exit. This is a boost for the Gunners, who have him as their top striker target.
Toney is reportedly interested in joining Arsenal with the opportunity to compete for the league title.
The big stumbling block for the Gunners could be the price. The Independent recently claimed that it could take £60 million plus £20m in add-ons (£80m package) to sign him.
Sky Sports, on the other hand, mention that the Bees value Toney at £100m and won’t accept anything less to part ways with his services during the summer.
Either way, a deal looks difficult at the moment. Selling Eddie Nketiah could help the Gunners recoup some funds, but they would still require owner investment.
With the Premier League now more strict on the profitability and sustainability rules, Arsenal could be wary of making a huge outlay on Toney before the deadline.