Arsenal have been told by Paul Merson to sign a Premier League striker who has been heavily linked with London rivals Chelsea. The Gunners acquired Gabriel Jesus last summer, but another top-quality addition in attack could see Mikel Arteta close the gap between his team and Manchester City that was brutally exposed this past Wednesday.
At Etihad Stadium, the two Premier League title rivals came to blows with City outclassing Arsenal in every department to win the major clash 4-1. Both sides came into the game without a key defender, with Nathan Ake missing for City and William Saliba out for Arsenal, but the latter's absence was the only one noticed.
Pep Guardiola had two superb options he could bring in with both Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte waiting in the wings to potentially replace Ake. Walker, to deal with Gabriel Martinelli's pace, got the nod while Arteta has been forced into playing Rob Holding who has severely struggled to match the impact of Saliba.
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The Gunners' need to have depth options that could easily slot into the first-team picture is vital, especially with Champions League qualification secured. Although the attacking department does not need to be strengthened, City are proof of how important it is to add more players in positions that look well stocked up.
Already at the club is Jesus and Eddie Nketiah while Folarin Balogun is also due to come back ahead of the 2023/24 season. Despite this, Arsenal have been told by Merson to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
"I'd be shocked if he was still at Brentford next season," he said on Sky Sports via Football Daily. "If I was Arsenal I would go and get him. I'm not sure about Chelsea because they will want a centre forward who is going to stay up there and be an out-and-out centre forward.
"Because he's such a talented kid I think he always wants to come short and get involved in the game. At Chelsea there is no point in that, they've got too many players that can do that."
Chelsea have been linked with Toney but he is one of many options on their striker wish list. How much Toney would cost for Brentford to sanction a sale is unknown, but given his value to the Bees, it would likely be a significant fee.
The 27-year-old is also awaiting news regarding a potential ban set to be issued by the FA after admitting some to charges for betting.
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