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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta already has his eye on a potential January signing in the form of striker Ivan Toney.
Brentford's hitman has been identified as the man who can provide the Gunners with real firepower up front. It became quite evident in Sunday's 2-2 draw with rivals Tottenham that Arsenal are in need of a true No9.
While the 27-year-old is currently serving a ban until the New Year for breaching The FA's strict betting rules, Toney will be back available to play from mid-January. And the Mirror say Arsenal are stepping up their interest already.
READ MORE: Banned Ivan Toney struck secret deal with FA to let him train at Brentford last month
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It is believed Premier League side Brentford are willing to sell, even if the mid-season window when Toney returns. Thomas Frank's side will demand at least £60million from any interested clubs, with Arsenal not the only team tracking England international Toney.
He is back in training already, having served half of his eight-month suspension. And Toney was also spotted back at the Gtech Community Stadium, watching his team-mates fall to a surprise 3-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Everton.
Do you think Ivan Toney would be worth the money for Arsenal to bring in during the January transfer window? Let us know in the comments section.
Toney has been a Brentford player since 2020 and has flourished in west London, helping them achieve promotion from the Championship before showing he can score regularly in England's top flight. His form last season saw him earn his first England cap, prior to the ban.
Chelsea and Spurs have been tracking his progress in the Premier League, but it's their London rivals the Gunners who are pushing to be in pole position to sign the forward in January. At Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus has suffered with injuries during his time at the Emirates Stadium since arriving from Manchester City, while Toney would be an upgrade on Eddie Nketiah.
It remains to be seen what Toney's condition will be like come 2024, having not figured in competitive football since April. However, he is now training with Brentford's first team, which will help build his fitness back up so that he shouldn't take too long to be match fit when he's available to play again.
Toney is ready to move on come 2024, and has made it clear to his manager Frank that he will not sign a new contract, with his current deal set to expire in less than two years' time. While he is a boyhood Liverpool supporter, Toney also admitted his admiration for Arsenal in an interview with Steven Bartlett last month.
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He said on the 'Diary of a CEO' podcast: "I've liked watching Arsenal. From how they play, kinda how passionate the fans are. But yeah, [I'm] a Liverpool fan, a Liverpool boy at heart."
Arteta will fancy his chances of luring the striker to Arsenal. He successfully done the same with Toney's international team-mate Declan Rice earlier this year.
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