Garth Crooks has written on BBC Sport that Ivan Toney would be the perfect replacement for Alexandre Lacazette if the striker leaves Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward has been hugely impressed by Brentford striker Toney.
Lacazette is out of contract at Arsenal at the end of the season.
No new deal is in place.
Crooks wrote on BBC Sport: “I caused a bit of a stir on Final Score and my colleagues Dion Dublin and Jason Mohammed raised eyebrows when I suggested that Ivan Toney would make a good fit for Arsenal next season.
“I think they were slightly taken aback because they thought I might know something or have an inside track but my comments were purely speculative.
“After all Ollie Watkins, a former Brentford striker, has made the transition at Aston Villa.
“Toney would be an ideal replacement if Alexandre Lacazette, for example, were to leave the Gunners in the summer.
“Unlike Watkins when he transferred to Villa, Toney is already scoring goals in the Premier league and plenty of them – he has no transition to make.
“As for Brentford, if Arsenal do come knocking, the west London club may have no choice but to accept the money. Brentford have a habit of selling when a player is hot.”
Could Ivan Toney leave Brentford for Arsenal?
In our view, if Arsenal want Toney and make a bid for the striker in the summer transfer window, then the Gunners will get him.
Leaving Brentford for Arsenal would be a step-up for Toney.
The former Newcastle United striker has scored 11 goals and given two assists in 23 Premier League starts for Brentford so far this season.
That is quite impressive when you consider that Brentford are a side who could get relegated to the Championship at the end of the season.
Toney scored 33 goals and gave 10 assists in 47 starts in the Championship for the Bees last season.
If Arsenal make a good offer, then Brentford will sell Toney to the Gunners.
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