Ex-Arsenal winger Jermaine Pennant claims that his former club could sign the modern-day Ian Wright if they make a move for Brentford’s Ivan Toney during the January transfer window.
The Gunners, along with Chelsea and Tottenham, are all said to be interested in signing the striker and, speaking to NewBettingSites.uk, Pennant said he would be an excellent addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad:
“Toney would be a fantastic signing. He’s a proven goalscorer at Brentford, a great finisher with great work rate and is a brilliant asset to the team.”
“In a team like Arsenal where they can control the game, he would be the absolute perfect fit – he would be like a modern-era Ian Wright. I would be shocked if Arsenal didn’t go out and get him this season.”
Toney’s asking price is likely to be a big stumbling block
Despite the forward‘s ban for betting infringements and the fact that he will only have 18 months left on his contract in the New Year, Brentford are expected to demand at least £60m for Toney.
That is likely to be well beyond Arsenal’s price range. Financial Fair Play restrictions meant that the club could only sign David Raya on an initial loan deal in the summer, so there are currently no funds to buy a new No.9.
How could Arsenal finance a move for Toney?
The likeliest way for the Gunners to generate the necessary funds is to sell players. The prime candidate is Emile Smith Rowe.
The attacking midfielder is struggling to get game time and he may well request a move in January anyway. With Arsenal reportedly valuing him at around £55m to £60m, he is worth a similar amount to Toney too.
