"Could be a spiritual home" - Former Liverpool star believes highly rated PL player might join Arsenal in January
Former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman believes Arsenal could be a viable destination for Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
Toney is currently in the midst of an eight-month suspension, which began in May, after pleading guilty to 232 betting charges. He has not been allowed to train with the Bees until January 2024, which is when he will be eligible to return to competitive football.
Many pundits and fans believe the 27-year-old will move on from Brentford once his suspension comes to an end, even though his contract runs until 2025. McManaman feels his former team Liverpool won't sign him in January, but Arsenal could, due to the relationship they enjoy with Toney's current club.
The two-time UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid told betting website Betfred (as quoted by the Express):
"I believe Liverpool have enough forwards at the moment and they don’t need to make it six. If Mo Salah leaves in the summer then maybe this move would make sense but once January comes, I believe that Arsenal could be a spiritual home for Ivan Toney.
"I know that Arsenal and Brentford have a really good relationship, so maybe that would be a much easier route to take for Ivan."
The Gunners notably loaned in David Raya from Brentford earlier this summer.
Meanwhile, prior to his ban, Toney was a staple in the Brentford starting line-up since joining them from Peterborough United in 2020. The Englishman has scored 68 goals in 124 appearances for Thomas Frank's side, including 32 strikes in 66 Premier League matches.
He helped the team to a 13th-place finish in the 2021-22 campaign, their first in the top flight in 74 years, before leading them to ninth place last season.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta plays down rumors of club signing a striker in January
While reports continue to link Ivan Toney with a move to the Emirates Stadium in January next year, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has played down those claims.
Multiple pundits have criticized Arsenal's lack of killer instinct in the final third in their first few matches of the ongoing season. While they have scored 11 goals in six Premier League matches, they have also averaged 1.3 missed chances per game.
Despite their strengths, neither Gabriel Jesus nor Eddie Nketiah is a proven goalscorer, which has seen the club get linked with Toney. However, when asked about the rumors, Arteta was quoted as saying by Sky Sports:
"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."
Among their forwards, the Gunners are notably missing Gabriel Martinelli, who scored 15 league goals last season, and Leandro Trossard due to injury. Both are nursing issues with their thigh.
Regardless, Arsenal will hope to hit their scoring stride when they take on 17th-placed AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, September 30. The Cherries are winless in the league so far with three draws and three defeats.