‘Brentford fans won’t welcome it’: Arsenal sent transfer message about Ivan Toney

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Kris Boyd says if he was Arsenal then he would happily secure the signature of Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

It was put to the former Scotland international that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal need an ‘out-and-out striker’ ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Gunners have Gabriel Jesus as their number nine, but Ivan Toney’s name was thrown into the hat, even if ‘Brentford fans won’t welcome it’. 

The 27-year-old is producing the best season of his career with 20 Premier League goals to his name for a Brentford side that has the second-lowest budget in England’s top flight.

If that isn’t going to get you recognition and plaudits, then nothing will, with suggestions that Toney is open to leaving Brentford in the summer.

If he does head for the exit door, it was suggested by presenter Jeff Stelling that perhaps Arsenal should be his next destination, as he told Sky Sports News (29/04/23 at 12:15 pm).

“Don’t you feel they (Arsenal) need an out-and-out striker?” asked Stelling. “I will throw you a name, for example, and Brentford fans won’t welcome it. 

“Wouldn’t they benefit from Ivan Toney being in that starting XI?”

Boyd responded: “You could argue that, yes. But the way that Arsenal play, three of them interchanging. It wasn’t so long ago we said that the two in the wide areas seem to be a lot better than Jesus when he is dropping down.

“The way that Arsenal play, this style of play suits him. Ivan Toney is a different striker. Would I have him in my team? I think I would.”

TONEY IS READY FOR THE STEP UP

The England international was on Newcastle United’s books a number of years ago, leaving in 2018, but he couldn’t make the cut and he had to drop down to the lower leagues in order to make his way back up.

He’s now an England international who is worthy of playing for a team in Europe next season, whether that’s Arsenal is another matter.

The Gunners will return to the Champions League next season, so in that sense, they need quality in depth, which Toney would provide in bucket loads, but at this stage of his career, he needs to be careful about going from a thriving first-team starter to a bench player.