3 reasons why Arsenal should not try to sign Ivan Toney

Arsenal are one of many Premier League teams interested in Brentford star Ivan Toney, but some key thoughts suggest it is a deal not worth our consideration.

On Sunday, the Gunners’ striking debate went into overdrive after a frustrating 2-2 draw in the North London Derby, with Eddie Nketiah failing to make an impact all game and Gabriel Jesus spurning a glorious first-half opportunity to double our advantage.

Their combined struggles marked just the latest instance of poor attacking play for Mikel Arteta’s side and have amplified calls for significant frontline investment. Toney’s 20 league goals at mid-table Brentford last season indicate he could be just the man for the job.

Arsenal and Ivan Toney: 3 reasons why we should not do a deal with Brentford

However, others still hold reservations about this potential transfer, and here are three reasons why Arsenal should decide against it.

1. He is simply too expensive

An argument copied and pasted from the Moisés Caicedo saga.

Although few would doubt the talent of Ivan Toney and what he might bring to the Arsenal attack, his reported £80m price tag simply does not represent good value for money.

Of course, to get twenty goals in the Premier League last term was very impressive and his numbers could perhaps be improved upon at a top-end club, where he would find himself surrounded by world-class creators.

But the fact remains that Toney has not gotten close to the magical 30-goal target (no more than our forwards) and, for that sort of money (much more than our forwards cost), Arsenal need to find as close to a guarantee of 30 goals as possible, while the player’s long stint away from competitive action might cause the club further concern.

There are cheaper names on the market and perhaps higher-ceiling ones for just a small bit extra too, so we should not be held to ransom here.

Continued on the next slide…