Chelsea to push to sign England star linked with Arsenal move in January - Reports
Amid the evident conundrum surrounding their forward options, Chelsea are eager to secure the services of Ivan Toney in the upcoming January transfer window, as per talkSPORT. The Blues are growingly confident of securing the Brentford star's signature despite interest from other Premier League outfits.
Valued at £60 million ($73m), the 27-year-old striker is currently serving an eight-month ban for 232 alleged betting offenses and will be eligible to return on January 16, 2024. But his pedigree is well known among the suitors after he bagged 20 goals in 33 league appearances in the 2022-23 season.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Englishman could be on his way out at the west London club, having recently appointed a new agency to take care of his future. Chelsea and their gaffer Mauricio Pochettino might be leading the pursuit at this point, however, their noisy neighbours Arsenal have shown visible interest in the PL-proven forward. At Arsenal, the former Peterborough United striker will compete for a spot in the starting lineup alongside Gabriel Jesus.
Meanwhile, for Ivan Toney, the interest of both these heavyweights will be a massive boost considering he will have an opportunity to join a club capable of challenging for major trophies. The Bees will also be buzzing with reports emerging of clubs squabbling for their prime asset, as it will give them an opportunity to squeeze the best deal of the eventual winners.
But for both Chelsea and Arsenal, the player's lack of match practice will be a slight worry if they're to bring him on board in January.
Nicolas Jackson's indecisiveness in front of goal becoming a worry for Chelsea
After failing to bring in any of their primary targets ahead of the new season, Mauricio Pochettino decided to trust 22-year-old Nicolas Jackson with the responsibility of leading Chelsea' attacking line.
The Senegalese striker pumped home 12 goals in 26 appearances in La Liga last season while playing for Villarreal. But in the opening five games in the Premier League, Jackson has been largely disappointing scoring just a single goal despite accumulating an xG of 3.30. Although he has got into scoring positions, his final product has been far below the expected levels. The misfiring striker has received four yellow cards in his first five league matches for Chelsea.
With Armando Broja still not available, Pochettino has been forced to rely on Jackson, who has clearly failed to live up to the expectations so far. Hence, the reports of the Blues being interested in securing the services of Ivan Toney mid-season wouldn't be a surprise to many.