Mikel Arteta could force Gabriel Jesus into new role as Arsenal receives greenlight to sign striker before January transfer deadline
Arsenal came back from what appeared to be a mini-crisis last weekend with a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace.
The boo boys are back in their box and the criticism of their offensive power has subsided, at least for a few days.
But the sad fact is that now, with only a few days left until the end of the January window, the Gunners haven’t acquired anyone yet.
Although Mikel Arteta has shown with five goals that his team can score goals, in the long term it would be necessary to invest in a shiny new striker.
The idea of this happening in January always seemed unlikely unless there was a late sale, so it seems the fans will have to be patient until the summer.
Arsenal are looking for a new striker
In recent weeks, several players have expressed interest in a move to the Emirates Stadium.
At one point Arsenal made a bid for Getafe striker Borja Mayoral, and Karim Benzema was also reportedly offered to them on loan, as the big Frenchman was unhappy with his time in Saudi Arabia.
However, there has been one constant this month and in the run-up to January. Mr. Ivan Toney.
The Brentford star had not kicked a ball all season until last Saturday’s furious clash between the Bees and Nottingham Forest. The reason for that? We all know already that he was suspended for a betting offense.
Toney did his best to make a comeback and scored against Forest, which only added to the interest of those returning to London Colney. Miguel Delaney of the Independent had previously claimed that they were “keen” to get a deal done. This is very reminiscent of the transfer of Declan Rice last summer. Edu et al prepared the ground in the months leading up to the summer and then settled on a £105 million transfer.
This time the transfer would still be expensive, with an £80 million price tag on Toney’s head.
What would the signing of Toney mean for Gabriel Jesus?
Before last week’s victory against Palace, the club had major problems in the opposition’s penalty area. In the three games before that encounter, Arteta’s men had scored just one goal in 61 attempts on goal. That’s pretty dismal.
Therefore, a signing of Toney, who has been ranked among the top 2% of Premier League players in terms of goals per 90 minutes in recent seasons, would be very appropriate.
Despite the England international’s recent ordeal, let’s not forget that he found the net 21 times in all competitions last season, six more than Arsenal’s triumvirate of top scorers in the 2022/23 season.
A “monster striker”, as his manager Thomas Frank described him, but the question is what this means for Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian took Arsenal to the next level when he signed for Manchester City in the summer of 2022. He seamlessly blended midfield and attack, ranking among the top 8% of strikers in the top five European leagues for progressive passes received and among the top 13% for assists per 90 minutes.
But the fact is that Jesus doesn’t score enough goals. If Arsenal want to win the league, they would be wise to find a player who scores 20 goals a season, like Toney.
Although that doesn’t mean the end of Jesus’ Arsenal career, as he can be moved on to wider grounds.
Against Palace, we saw the Brazilian international regularly drifting down the right wing. It was Jesus (see below) who received a phenomenal cross from David Ray, which sparked Arsenal’s counter-attack and Leandro Trossard’s goal to make it 3-0 in the second half.
It’s important to note that the right wing is completely locked down with a Bukayo Saka, but with concerns about fatigue and the amount of football played by the fantastic winger, Jesus could be a good option.
In this scenario, everyone wins. Arsenal sign a valuable center forward, Saka gets the rest he needs, and Jesus still finds a way to get into the team. Make it happen, Arteta.
Given Toney’s recent suspension, it may seem risky (pardon the pun) to bring him in at such an expensive price.
But Arsenal need goals and this is a man who scores them regularly.
