Arsenal backed to sign 72-goal striker in cut-price deal as big Premier League title prediction is made

Arsenal are on the hunt for a new centre-forward and Brentford star Ivan Toney has been heavily linked with the North London side throughout the summer.

Mikel Arteta knows his Gunners side must bring in a new striker if they are to beat Manchester City to the Premier League title, especially with Eddie Nketiah on the way out.

Nketiah, 25, has been the subject of two bids from French giants Marseille after being told by Arsenal that he won’t get consistent minutes this season.

Those offers have been rejected but Roberto De Zerbi’s team are expected to come in with a third offer now that Arsenal have reportedly reduced their demands.

Everton are also keeping close tabs on Nketiah’s situation but Marseille remain the favourites to sign him at this stage.

Nketiah’s situation has intensified Arsenal’s search for a new forward. Sporting CP goal machine Viktor Gyokeres was initially their top target, but his £86m price tag has proved too expensive.

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The Gunners are now scouring the market for alternatives and Toney seems a likely option given that Brentford could reportedly sell him for as little as £40m.

The England international is ready to leave the Bees for a top club and would be open to joining Arsenal this summer.

Arsenal urged to sign Ivan Toney

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes said on The Overlap that he expects Arsenal to win the Premier League this season, but also urged them to sign a new striker.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Nketiah scored a combined 22 league goals last term – seven less than Man City superstar Erling Haaland.

Arsenal did score 91 league goals overall last season, however, just five less than the Cityzens in total.

“It’s hard to say [Arsenal] have not got enough [goal threat] because of the amount of goals they scored, and set pieces were a big advantage to them,” Scholes said.

“I think signing a centre-forward would help, definitely. I think signing an out-and-out number nine who will guarantee you 25, 30 goals like Manchester City have, I’m pretty sure it’d help.

“It’s just whether those people are out there. Ivan Toney is probably the one who has been mentioned a lot. I think in Arsenal’s team he could score you 25 goals.”

Toney signed for Brentford in 2020 and has scored a total of 72 goals for the club – playing a key role in their promotion from the Championship and their continued Premier League survival.

He recorded a best ever season’s tally of 21 goals in 2022/23, while last season his progress was disrupted by an eight-month suspension for gambling breaches.

It will be interesting to see if Arsenal take Scholes’ advice and lodge a bid for Toney in the coming weeks. Man Utd have also been linked with the striker in recent days.

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