Chris Sutton has weighed in on Arsenal’s interest in Ivan Toney, expressing the view that it makes little sense for them to sign him in the upcoming transfer window, considering he has seen limited playing time in the first half of the season.
Sutton’s perspective suggests that the timing and circumstances might not align well for Arsenal to pursue Ivan Toney at this point.
Toney has established himself as one of the top strikers in the Premier League since Brentford’s promotion. However, it’s worth noting that he has been banned since the start of this season, possibly affecting his match sharpness and contributing to Chris Sutton’s skepticism about Arsenal’s interest in signing him in the upcoming transfer window.
Sutton stated on BBC Sport: “Brentford’s Ivan Toney has been linked for a while, but he has not played for months because of his suspension. He will have been training, but how much match sharpness does he have?
“If we are looking at the names that are supposedly within their grasp, Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke stands out as the best candidate.”
Toney had a successful season last year, and there is a widespread belief that he could be the solution to bringing goals to the Emirates. However, it’s acknowledged that Toney will lack match fitness upon his return, potentially requiring a significant amount of time to regain optimal physical condition. The balance between his proven goal-scoring abilities and the need for match fitness is a consideration in Arsenal’s potential interest.
On the other hand, Solanke is in the form of his life netting 12 goals in 18 starts, scoring the majority of Bournemouth’s Premier League goals this season.