"I see him going to Chelsea" - Gabby Agbonlahor believes Arsenal transfer target will join London rivals instead
Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor reckons that Brentford striker Ivan Toney will snub Arsenal to join Chelsea. He said that neither the Gunners nor Tottenham Hotspur, who are also interested, will be able to match the Blues' financial package.
Agbonlahor told talkSPORT:
“Arsenal had to get Raya on loan because of FFP, so they can’t afford him. Everyone is talking about Arsenal, so they have to sell someone to get him."
He added:
“We have seen what Chelsea offers with their financial packages. Spurs won’t be able to match Chelsea, so I see him going to Chelsea (to sign Ivan Toney).”
Multiple teams are interested in signing the Brentford striker, who is currently serving a ban for violating betting rules. He is currently back in training but will be allowed to return to football on January 17.
The Bees are open to selling Toney but are looking to get a fee of close to £80 million. He bagged 20 goals in 33 Premier League games last season and was a key reason behind the side's top-half finish.
Meanwhile, Arsenal went on a spending spree this summer, splurging over £200 million to sign the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber. They are in the market for a No. 9, with Gabriel Jesus being injury-prone and Eddie Nketiah's underwhelming performances.
Chelsea, on the other hand, are also keen on adding an attacker. Despite spending over £1 billion in recent windows, the Blues have been unable to fix their issue of not scoring enough goals. They managed just 38 goals in the league last season and those issues have continued, with a run of three straight games without scoring.
Chelsea emerge as likely destination for Serie A star amidst interest from Arsenal
The west London side could reportedly be the go-to destination if Napoli striker Victor Osimhen chooses to leave the club next summer.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Blues' need for a striker combined with their free-spending nature makes them the most likely team to acquire the forward.
The report claims that multiple Premier League sides, including Arsenal and Manchester United, also made approaches for the Nigeria international. The Serie A side, however, have a huge asking price as he is under contract until 2025.
Osimhen scored 26 goals in 32 Serie A games last season, helping Napoli win their first Scudetto in 33 years. This season, he has scored three goals in five league appearances.
Osimhen has, however, expressed frustration with team management after the club's official TikTok account recently posted seemingly mocking the 24-year-old. He has reportedly reserved his right to take legal action against the team.