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Pep Guardiola praises Arsenal top striker target, Ivan Toney

By on February 22, 2024

Ivan Toney Brentford

Pep Guardiola may have just handed Arsenal one of the best reasons to complete a move for Ivan Toney this summer.

Arsenal’s need for a striker is obvious; prior to the 1-0 loss to FC Porto, they had improved their attacking efficiency. The loss against the Portuguese giant with no shot on target, however, served as a reminder of their poor goal-scoring form prior to the winter break.

The belief is that Eddie Nketiah’s days at Arsenal may be numbered. He hasn’t scored since October, and the fact that he isn’t currently (in Gabriel Jesus’ absence) regarded as the solution implies he could be allowed to leave in the summer. As for Gabriel, his injuries and poor goal-scoring record clearly indicate that he cannot be trusted to spearhead Arsenal’s attack.

Arsenal needs to sign a marquee striker this summer. A number of players have been linked, but Dean Jones recently stated that the Gunners scouting department are ‘convinced’ of Ivan Toney.

Toney is an experienced Premier League striker. Most Premier League fans will agree that he is a striker capable of scoring 20 or more goals a season. Arsenal doesn’t have such a striker, so a move for the England hitman would make sense.

Guardiola praises Toney

When Manchester City faced Brentford this week, they beat them 1-0 at the Etihad, and Guardiola couldn’t help but praise Toney for his excellence. The Manchester City manager characterized the Arsenal transfer target as ‘the best I’ve ever seen’ at holding up the ball. He explained why the 27-year-old is a dream striker, calling him a ‘master’ and a ‘really good player’.

“He is so dangerous,” Guardiola said as per HITC of Toney before and after Tuesday’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Brentford.

“He’s a master at using his body for the second ball… Good finishing. You can link with him; he’s one of the best I’ve ever seen (at that hold-up play).

“A few weeks ago the goal we conceded (a goal to Toney). We defended not properly but he did it really well. (Brentford) have the ability with Ivan Toney.

“He’s a master player. A really good player.”

If Guardiola was pitching to a team on why they needed to sign Toney, he may have just convinced his rival, Arteta, to sign the Brentford hitman. However, I’m sure a number of teams other than Arsenal are also looking at Toney, so Arteta will face a fight to sign him.

Arsenal would need to be quick in their pursuit of Brentford’s No. 9. They clearly need someone like him, and interestingly, he might be available for as little as £50 million, according to Sports Lens.

Each day, it becomes clear that Toney, who has scored four goals in six games since returning from the betting ban, could be Arsenal’s answer to their scoring problems. But it remains to be seen whether a deal is agreed this summer.