Daniel Sturridge believes that Brentford’s Ivan Toney would be a better fit for Chelsea rather than Arsenal. Toney is set to leave Brentford in 2024, with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham all reportedly interested in signing him. However, Sturridge thinks Chelsea would benefit the most from his services.
Toney, an England international, is currently suspended until January due to a breach of the Football Association’s gambling rules. He has also changed agents in anticipation of a transfer away from Brentford.
According to a recent report from Sky Sports, Brentford has no intention of letting Toney go during the 2023/24 season, and their board considers an asking price between £50-60 million as too low. Instead, they are expected to demand a substantial £100 million transfer fee for their star player.
While a move to Tottenham might seem logical for Toney after Harry Kane’s transfer to Bayern Munich in the summer, it’s doubtful that Daniel Levy would be willing to pay a nine-figure sum for the striker.
On the other hand, Chelsea is in desperate need of a new striker, even after Nicolas Jackson’s hat-trick against Spurs. Many believe that a new striker would be the missing piece of the puzzle for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Arteta currently has Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus at his disposal, but Jesus’ injury record has proven to be a significant issue for the Gunners.
Mauricio Pochettino is also seeking a focal point up top for his team. Sturridge, a former Chelsea player, believes that Toney is a top striker and would be a good fit at Stamford Bridge. He mentioned, “I would say he will suit Chelsea the most, he could play for Spurs. I’m not sure who needs him most as they all need him. He is a top striker and deserves that opportunity.”
Sturridge’s colleague at Sky, Jamie Carragher, added that Toney’s signing would greatly benefit Arsenal in their title challenge. Carragher is a big fan of Toney but also pointed out the challenges of making the jump to a big club and dealing with the increased scrutiny and expectations. Nevertheless, he believes that Arsenal might need to take that chance if they don’t address their striker and goalkeeper positions, as it would be difficult to compete with Manchester City without these improvements.
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