“I need assurance….”: Ivan Toney reveals he’s ready to join Arsenal ‘ON ONE CONDITION’ after recent talks with Arteta at Emirates
It is believed that the striker, who is very demanding, is actually more inclined to join Arsenal this summer, as it seems that his club will lower the price they are asking for him.
Arsenal looking for a new striker for Arteta
After a dramatic 2-1 victory over Brentford, Mikel Arteta’s team boasts an impressive 33 goals in their last eight Premier League games.
Arsenal are also level on points with Liverpool at the top of the table as they bid for a first domestic crown in 20 years. Since their inception in 2024, their attacking flair has gone up a gear and Arteta’s team looks rejuvenated in that regard.
However, this has not prevented repeated links to top strikers. Arsenal are said to admire Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins for the number nine role, while he is constantly mentioned as a candidate for Brentford’s Ivan Toney.
The 27-year-old has scored four goals in nine appearances this season since returning from a suspension for alleged gambling offences. Arsenal have been linked with a move for Toney since last summer, but this summer could finally be the time when he moves on from his current club.
“It is quite obvious that Ivan Toney will be sold this summer,” Brentford manager Thomas Frank said earlier this year.
“Selling your best player can be expensive, but on the other hand I also know that he will only have one year left on his contract with us before the summer. We also know how much he is worth. I don’t think there are many strikers in the world who are better than him right now.”
Toney’s ability to drop deep and link up play, as even Declan Rice has pointed out, could be a real asset to Arteta – a report published this week provided some potentially good news in the pursuit of the England international.
Toney favours a move to Arsenal as Brentford soften their stance
According to reports from The Mirror and journalist Ryan Taylor, Toney is in favour of a summer move to Arsenal, but given that he is not the only striker on their radar, it seems that Brentford will have to soften their price tag to lure Edu to the negotiating table.
Arsenal seem to hold all the cards and with only 12 months left on his contract, £60m is a realistic figure. Despite Frank previously stating that Toney was worth around £100m, it seems the Bees need to cut that figure by almost half.
“It’s up to him how far he goes. He has a bit of everything. He’s strong, fast and skilful. Year by year your football IQ increases,” former Brentford player Hermann Hreidarsson said of Toney.
“He’s a world-class player and that’s an honour for him. He can go anywhere he wants.”
