Pundit believes Arsenal shouldn't be spending £80-odd million to sign PL star in January, claims it might be a 'massive risk'
Pundit Danny Murphy reckons Arsenal shouldn't gamble on spending around £80 million on Brentford's suspended striker Ivan Toney in January.
Toney, 27, is an accomplished striker in the English top flight, with 32 goals in 68 outings, with all of them coming for Brentford. The Englishman bagged 20 goals and four assists in 33 league games last season as The Bees finished ninth to narrowly miss out on European football.
Toney, though, is currently suspended after the FA found him in breach of their 232 rules on betting. They slapped him a fine of £50,000, suspending him for eight months in May after the gambling addict was found to have betted on two losses for his own team.
The striker has resumed training with his club and is free to return to first-team football in January. However, with Brentford faring fairly well in Toney's absence, they're expected to jettison the striker, who's contracted with them till 2025.
The Gunners are among multiple Premier League clubs in the fray for Toney. However, Murphy reckons Toney would be a risky proposition because of Mikel Arteta's side's playing style, saying on Five (via TBR):
“Arsenal are a very intricate footballing side. He hasn’t played in that sort of team. They have a left-footer on the right and a right-footer on the left. They play pretty patterns, they’re not a crossing team. They don’t cross many."
Murphy reckons Toney could adapt to a tactical switch. However, it could be risky for the Gunners to splurge on the striker after just one good season with a team 'set up for him':
"Possibly (he could adapt). He would become the main guy, and (Gabriel) Jesus would have to fit in, but depending on the fee, even though I think he makes the squad stronger.
"It would be a massive risk to spend £80/90m for him when he’s only had one season in a team that's set up for him and ask him to become this wonderful, intricate footballer. I’m not sure."
Arsenal could be on the hunt for a new striker in January, with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah struggling to perform at the desired level.
How have Arsenal fared this season?
Arsenal have made a great start to their 2023-24 campaign. Mikel Arteta's side won their first silverware of the season by winning the FA Community Shield, beating Manchester City on penalties.
The Gunners are one of a handful of teams in Europe's top five leagues that are still unbeaten. They have won four of their six league games to sit fifth in the standings, four behind leaders City.
Arteta's side also won their openers in the UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup, respectively beating PSV Eindhoven 4-0 at home and Brentford 1-0. They next take on Bournemouth away in the Premier League on Saturday (September 30).