Arsenal’s January move for Ivan Toney has already hit major stumbling block

The January transfer window has come at the perfect time for Arsenal, as two defeats on the bounce have caused the Gunners to lose valuable ground on Liverpool in the Premier League title race. But, not to worry Arsenal fans, as Mikel Arteta may just have his eye on a new striker.

Arsenal looking to fill number 9 void

As has been reported, the Gunners currently have a four man striker list for the upcoming window. Arteta isn’t exactly blessed with a wide range of central attacking options at the Emirates, with Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus the only real out-and-out number 9s.

And, what’s more concerning is the numbers that these two have put up so far this season, with just 13 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions, which certainly isn’t helping the club’s title aspirations.

So, with the evident need for a prolific striker this month, the likes of Dominic Solanke, Ivan Toney, Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins seem like sensible options if the report above is anything to go by.

And it looks as if Arteta has already secretly highlighted his favourite out of those four, with a move for a certain “rare animal” already being looked into in north London.

Arsenal chiefs investigating how to sign Ivan Toney

According to the Independent, Arsenal are investigating whether a deal can be done for Ivan Toney this January, as Mikel Arteta wants the Brentford forward specifically as part of this window’s business.

However, the report goes on to state that the price tag is a major issue: “Arteta has been weighing up which positions to prioritise with a restricted budget, but his side’s recent struggles in front of goal have increasingly convinced him of the need to bolster the attack. The problem is Financial Fair Play concerns, as well as the fact that Brentford would want huge money for their prize striker. It would likely take a package of at least £80m for a deal to be done.”

With Everton getting into trouble and Manchester City under scrutiny for their financial behaviour, you can understand Arsenal’s concern over exactly how much they can spend this month.

There’s no doubting that Toney could be the man to produce 20-goal seasons at the Emirates, should he re-discover his form from last season. But, as mentioned above, the price of £80m is a lot to pay when you consider that Arteta spent £105m on Declan Rice, £65m on Kai Havertz and £38m on Jurrien Timber back in the summer.

If the Gunners can make a deal happen then Arteta would be more than happy if his recent comments are anything to go by as he named Toney as one of the best in the world:

“For me, I think he is one of the best strikers. As a No.9, I don’t see many in the world that are better than him. You have [Harry] Kane, [Robert] Lewandowski, these types, but not many.

“He scored 20 goals in the Premier League last year in, of course, a very good Brentford side. But we are not making as many chances as the top six or seven teams. Imagine him in a top team. He would easily score 20 to 25 goals [a season], for me. I think he is composed, a good finisher, and has a top mentality.”