Chelsea ‘have suspicion’ about Ivan Toney and Arsenal ahead of making offer
Chelsea reportedly fear that Ivan Toney will pick Arsenal if it comes down to the striker deciding his next destination, it has been claimed. Brentford striker Toney could be the subject of a major January transfer battle between Premier League clubs.
The 27-year-old will complete an eight-month ban from competitive football on January 16, with several teams lining up to complete a move. Toney has been able to play for Brentford’s B team in an effort to keep fit.
Brentford are desperate to keep their star man and will likely only accept an astronomical figure for a player who bagged 21 goals last season. However, two of the richest top-flight clubs are keen to sign a new No 9.
Chelsea and Arsenal are both weak in the position and will target a new striker over the coming months. Toney has reportedly been lined up by both London clubs ahead of a possible January move.
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But speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist Ben Jacobs claims that Chelsea fear they may miss out on Toney if they need to engage in a tug-of-war with the north Londoners. It is not a ‘given’ that the Blues will make an offer for the former Newcastle star, despite some figures within the Stamford Bridge hierarchy ‘liking’ the player at the ‘right price’.
Chelsea and Arsenal are both in need of a new centre-forward to push them on. Summer signing Nicolas Jackson has struggled with the burden at Chelsea and needs a more experienced partner.
At Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have seen inconsistency and injuries obstruct their quest to lead the line of a team properly challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title. Neither have been able to score the goals to propel Mikel Arteta’s side above the reigning champions.
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However, a £200m summer spending spree means Arsenal might avoid making another major purchase in January. Asked about the club’s pursuit of a new forward, Arteta said in October: “We’re not thinking at all about that.
“We have really good players up front. It’s true that right now we have some injuries. We will continue with the players we have.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea have also been linked with Napoli ace Victor Osimhen. However, the report adds that staff at the Italian club do not expect the Nigeria international to be available midway through the campaign.
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