Brentford slap £100m price tag on Ivan Toney

Arsenal have a problem to solve in January that may be more urgent than Mikel Arteta’s search for answers from the officials after losing 1-0 to Newcastle United on Saturday. The Gunners were beaten in a feisty contest on Tyneside, succumbing to their first defeat in the Premier League this season, and the manner of their defeat would have proved those right who believe the squad still needs a natural goalscorer like Ivan Toney.

Arteta was keen to ‘praise’ his players for their performance and claimed they did not deserve to lose the match, with the Spaniard instead aiming his ire at the officials and VAR for allowing Anthony Gordon’s match-winning goal to stand.

But the statistics from the game suggested they have an issue that requires fixing after blanking at St James’ Park.

For the first time in 17 games this season, Arsenal failed to score in a match and they barely came close to testing Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope. From their 14 shots on goal, the Gunners only managed to get one on target and their xG of 0.64 proved just how little threat they provided from their chances in the final third.

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With Bukayo Saka’s goals drying up Martin Odegaard lacking creative juice and Gabriel Jesus out injured, Arsenal will need to find another source of goals in the coming weeks or months. And after Eddie Nketiah’s anonymous display, Arteta may be considering firming up the club’s interest in Toney.

The 27-year-old scored 20 goals in 33 appearances in the Premier League last season, the most of any English player not named Harry Kane, and five more than Arsenal’s joint-top scorers Martinelli and Odegaard. His suspension from football until January 17 will complicate any potential transfer bid, but Arsenal may need to consider opening talks with his club.

Toney is understood to have informed the Bees that he wishes to move on in the winter transfer window, which may not be a surprise considering Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly interested in acquiring him.

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The one-cap England international has the ability to hold up the play and is devastating inside the box, giving Arsenal something they don’t already have with Jesus and Nketiah not proving to be clinical with their chances.

The only stumbling block, however, could be the asking price that Brentford want for their star man. After watching Harry Kane leave in a deal worth £100m, Brentford want a similar fee for their goal machine – and it could require technical director Edu Gaspar to step up to negotiate another big-money transfer.

The Brazilian transfer guru eventually wore down West Ham after being quoted £150m for Declan Rice, with the 24-year-old eventually moving for a club-record £105m. Toney may prove to be just as valuable if his goals help Arsenal clinch their first league title in 20 years, but spending such a large fee on a player entering his peak years may be viewed as excessive from Arsenal’s side.

The only other issue for Arsenal is they cannot afford to dwell on moving for Toney for too long, with Chelsea also facing issues in scoring enough goals. Manchester United’s £72m signing Rasmus Hojlund is goalless in eight games too, and may view Toney as the perfect strike partner or competitor to get the Dane firing.

Other options will be available in January, with Arsenal also linked with Napoli star Victor Osimhen and Feyenoord goal machine Santiago Gimenez, who could be available for around £40m. RB Leipzig youngster Benjamin Sesko is also said to be on their shortlist.

But capturing Toney, a feared and proven Premier League striker, could be the lowest risk option available to Arteta as he looks to find a regular goalscorer to add to his squad in January.

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