Ivan Toney sparks Arsenal transfer craze with latest message amid likely David Raya reunion
Brentford’s striker Ivan Toney has grabbed the attention of Arsenal fans with a recent Instagram message to his former teammate David Raya.
Raya, who recently made his debut for Arsenal in their 1-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park, had spent three years alongside Toney before his summer move.
Both Toney and Raya played pivotal roles in Brentford’s promotion to the Premier League in 2021, contributing significantly to Thomas Frank’s team’s charge towards the play-offs with an impressive 12-game unbeaten streak at the end of the season.
During that season, Raya managed to secure 16 clean sheets in his 42 appearances, marking his second season after transferring from Blackburn. On the other hand, Toney delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 33 goals and providing 10 assists in his first and only Championship campaign.
Now, with Raya establishing himself as one of the top goalkeepers in the league, there’s a growing desire among some to see the duo reunite on the field.
However, it’s worth noting that Toney is currently banned from football activities until January 2024, which means he wouldn’t be able to play for any new team. Nevertheless, this hasn’t prevented top teams from expressing their interest in him.
Arsenal, who currently have Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah as their forward choices, are reportedly considering the addition of the 27-year-old striker to bolster their squad depth.
In their recent match against Everton, Nketiah was chosen alongside Raya, and he had been making a positive impression leading up to the international break.
Gabriel Jesus, who is still working his way back to full fitness after an injury that kept him out at the start of the season, came off the bench in the second half against Everton, following his international duty with Brazil. In contrast, Ivan Toney offers a completely different style of play.
Toney is accustomed to being the central figure in Brentford’s direct style of play. He excels in aerial duels, maintains impressive ball control even under pressure, and is proficient in playing with his back to the goal, as well as exploiting space when it opens up. Prior to his suspension from FA-related activities, Toney had an impressive record, scoring 20 goals for Brentford last year.
This has garnered interest from clubs like Chelsea, who are looking to secure his services in the upcoming winter transfer window, especially considering Toney’s contract situation. Similar to David Raya, who had just one year remaining on his contract before Arsenal signed him, Toney will also enter the final year of his contract if he remains at Brentford until the summer. This could potentially weaken Brentford’s bargaining position and lead to a reduction in his transfer fee.
Thomas Frank, Brentford’s manager, has been vocal about the value of his player, suggesting he’s worth “£100 million ($124 million) plus.” However, it’s unlikely that Toney would command such a hefty price, and Arsenal fans have taken to social media to encourage the player to consider a move, particularly after Toney responded to David Raya’s Instagram post with two heart emojis, sparking excitement among supporters.
‘January move?’ simply quizzed one. Another wrote: “Super Toney, Gunners family.” It’s not the first time that fans have made their feelings clear towards the England international either.
It has become a frequent occurrence to observe Arsenal fans actively engaging in the comments section of his posts on social media.
Last week one wrote to him, asking “Ivan what are the ODDS that you’ll join Arsenal?” Another was slightly more enthusiastic, manifesting a move: “We are waiting for you at Arsenal. January let’s go!”
Securing a deal for Ivan Toney seems like a challenging task for Arsenal, whether it’s in the upcoming January transfer window or in the summer of 2024. Nevertheless, their connections with David Raya could potentially be advantageous in this pursuit. As for Raya’s own future, he is currently working to establish himself as the primary goalkeeper at Arsenal, facing competition from Aaron Ramsdale.
Raya’s move to Arsenal initially involves a loan arrangement, but it could become permanent if certain playing time conditions are met. Regarding the decision to start Raya in the weekend’s match ahead of the club’s first Champions League game in six years, Arteta commented: “It’s something that has been historically done like this, but I cannot have two players like this in one position and not play them. David has tremendous qualities like Aaron has, like Karl [Hein] has, but we have to use them you know.”
Ivan Toney sparks Arsenal transfer craze with latest message amid likely David Raya reunion
